


swimming against the tide

by rowanshand



Category: Chicago Fire
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2018-03-12
Packaged: 2019-01-17 23:30:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 48,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12376359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rowanshand/pseuds/rowanshand
Summary: Surprising him, Sylvie passed Kelly the paper in her hand. It was a sonogram.It didn't look like much yet. The picture was black and white and grainy with Sylvie’s name and other identifying information printed in the top corner. Still, Kelly's heart clenched at the sight. He could hardly believe it. He was looking at his child. He couldn't believe he was going to be someone's parent.In some ways, he already was.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so there is absolutely no fic for these two, but I love them and have had the beginnings of this story in my drafts forever now (I may have even posted it briefly before). So, here it is, something I have been working on and hope you enjoy.

Truthfully, Kelly though Friday would never come.

Monday disappeared into Tuesday just as slowly as Wednesday took to end and, matching the misery Kelly lives in these days, Thursday rolled in with thunderstorm. These days, Kelly is consumed by so much pain and uncertainty, he may just drown due to the weight of it all and he wishes he could make everyone understand. All of the questions and looks of concern he is forced to dodge on a daily basis has pushed Kelly to the brink. At the moment, there is nothing Kelly wants more than to get his hands on the strongest liquor around. Anything would work, just as long as it gets him drunk and does it fast.

After his thirty-hour shift, Kelly got into his car, avoided conversation with anyone and everyone as he left, and drove himself to some random bar on the opposite side of town. Operating in a blur these days, he’s been going through the motions of his day, of his job, doing all he can not to feel…well, anything really. It’s too hard. It hurts too much. Everything is different now.

Without her. Without Shay.

In the blink of an eye, she died and Kelly hates the world for it. He hates that it had to be her, that he couldn't save her and now, he can't bring himself to feel grateful for the air in his lungs and his beating heart. Shay deserved better. She deserved more. She should have had more time than she was given. Overnight, Kelly’s entire life shifted and rather than allow himself to feel the absolute devastation that the death of his best friend has caused, he’s chosen to shut down.  
On the opposite side of town from 51, Kelly stumbles into a bar that isn’t Molly’s and that is exactly the point. For just one night, he doesn’t want to talk about his dead friend or how hard it is to breathe sometimes. All of the unwanted attention is beginning to feel a lot like suffocation.

Shay died almost two months ago and Kelly still doesn't understand. He can't breathe. Both in the firehouse and in his personal life, there is this void to fill now. Of course, the natural process of filling Shay's place on Ambo 61 has occurred, first with temporary replacements and now a more permanent solution on their way. Kelly has heard talk around the house that a new paramedic is scheduled to start at 51 in the coming days, but never bothered to learn more about it beyond that.

In the past, whenever his life had gotten to this point of complicated, there was only one person he was interested in talking to. And now she's gone. More than anything, Kelly is desperate for a day of clear thoughts, for it all not to hurt so damn much.

While the inside of this random bar is dark, the atmosphere and mood are light. There's a quiet drum of music playing in a far-off corner from where he sits, though it's mostly drowned out by the conversations around him. When asked for his order by the pretty bartender, with her brown hair and flashy nail polish, Kelly orders something strong and swallows it all in the seconds after it was placed on the counter in front of him. For a weeknight, the bar is surprisingly crowded with most of the occupants huddled around the televisions nearby, discussing the Cubs anemic bats and whether or not the Bears will make a run for the Super Bowl this year. All of the commotion is easy enough to ignore though, seeing as his own demanding thoughts consume a lot of Kelly’s remaining energy.

Kelly clutches the glass of his new drink and swishes the amber colored liquor around with a slight roll of his wrist. The drink is strong and bitter and just what he needed. Already, he feels some of the weight on his shoulders lift. All around, there are people, with their own problems and concerns and lives and Kelly wonders if any of them were happy. If they are, he wonders if they’d be willing to offer him some direction. In the past, asking for and listening to others advice had never been Kelly’s forte. Typically, he's usually been one to make his own mistakes and learn his own lessons.

With a glance to his left, a woman comes into Kelly’s view. Her hair is blonde and it flows down over her shoulder, reaching down to her waist. Her hands nurse a bottle of beer and when she brings it up to her face to take a drink, Kelly is able to make out more of her features. Her red lipstick and long eyelashes capture his attention, as does the low neckline of her shirt.

She's beautiful. In an understated way, she's quite the sight.

Eventually, Kelly feels as though he'd been watching her for a moment too long and should probably look away. But before he does, he catches her gaze shift in his direction. Even as he rises from his seat, drink in hand, Kelly’s not sure this is a good idea. He walks past a few empty seats before coming to stand next to the woman he spotted before.

At first, neither of them say a word where he lingers beside her and they lock eyes. Soon, she blushes and looks away from him and down to her lap, tucking some of her hair behind her ear with a free hand. Kelly thinks she looks adorable, her cheeks now red with color, her fingers shaking a bit. There's a small smirk that grows from the side of her mouth. Kelly thought of it as an invitation and settled into the stool next to her, the glass of his drink clinking against the wood of the bar in front of them as he does.

Catching him off guard, she turns to face him, her hand stretched out in his direction. “I’m Sylvie.” She offers this introduction with a smile.

Taking her hand in his own, he shakes it thoroughly. “Kelly.”

A few beers later and Kelly learns Sylvie is originally from Indiana, from a town that is small and filled with farmers, certainly less people than a big city like Chicago. Kelly wonders what it's like to live in a place where everyone knows everyone, where your business is known to all. Honestly, it sounds endlessly frustrating. It wasn’t long before Kelly recognizes her uneasiness about moving to such a large place, having never travelled to a large city before. Apparently, Sylvie made the move for a new job opportunity she's excited about.

Beyond that, Kelly doesn't ask many questions. He’s not quick to make any mention of his own career either. It felt nice not to think or talk about work and fighting fires and the death of his best friend. She wouldn't understand his world anyway. In all the years Kelly has worked as a firefighter in Chicago, there's been one lesson he has learned for certain. Unless you are in, you are out. The nature and culture of his job isn't something that is easily understood by outsiders.

51 is Kelly’s family.

At some point, she mentioned an ex-boyfriend briefly but shut that topic of conversation down just as quickly as it started, perhaps thinking she’d gone and revealed too much. In response, Kelly didn’t ask any further questions and didn’t offer an of his own information, never the type to pry or offer up information willingly.

Surprising himself, Kelly even mentioned Shay briefly.

Maybe because he needed to or maybe because Sylvie is easy to talk to. For the first time in weeks, Kelly doesn’t feel weighed down by the weight of the world. He feels free now. He can laugh and smile and be captivated by this pretty woman without having to think everything to death.

And Sylvie is beyond interesting.

Obviously, she's a cute girl and Kelly is attracted to her, but he still can't quite figure her out. She seems a bit naive and good-natured, but Kelly has a feeling there is more than meets the eye with her. She's not all nice. It's obvious there is fierceness about her that is quite sexy. Kelly wonders how long it would take for that side of her personality to emerge, likely not something she would so quickly display to a stranger.

Kelly shifts towards her, resting his free hand on the small of her back, his thumb lining up with the curve of her hips. Sylvie is startled a bit by the touch, evident by how her back straightens. There is something here, between them. They both know it. Kelly can feel it, his fingertips hot against her skin where her shirt had risen up. A moment later, she turns into him, appearing nervous, as though this isn’t something she does often but is willing to give it a shot tonight. Their arms graze against each other and a few blond wisps of her hair tickle at his biceps. Sylvie turns to look at him, her chin resting on top of her shoulder. Until, finally, he makes the first move, leaning into her.

She’s fucking beautiful. And he wants her. And not just because he's lonely and sad or in need of a release. It is not about that.

Kelly’s not sure who started kissing who, but, before long, her soft lips, tasting like raspberries, brush against his and he could practically feel the transfer of her lipstick from her mouth to his own. There is a tenderness between them that was surprising. They're complete strangers. Sure, he knows where she is from and she now knows about his emotional damage, but what was that really? It doesn’t equate to anything really. Soon, Sylvie lowers her head, providing Kelly with better access. He would’ve been a fool not to take advantage. Their exchange grows hotter as he pressed harder against her lips, making use of his tongue when the opportunity arose. Kelly could hear Sylvie moan in response.

There is no going back.

She is kissing him with such explorative desperation, his body began to vibrate. It has been a long time since Kelly had done anything with a woman - dead best friend or not - and that much is obvious. Mindful not to get ahead of himself - seeing as though they are still currently in a very public place - Kelly pauses to take a breath. He wraps his arm around her waist, though it's a bit awkward at first, given their position on these lousy bar stools. His other hand finds the skin of her cheek and strokes over it with his thumb. Sylvie makes a sound that resembles a hum, only further encouraging Kelly to continue.

He kisses her again, trapping her bottom lip between his teeth and bites down gently. Sylvie gasps and Kelly laughs. In no time, his entire body is lit on fire, responded to each kiss and touch. Eventually, they pull away from each other and wait. His eyes are dark while hers go wide. She sits next to him, looking like a deer caught in the middle of the road. With her hand now raised to cover her mouth, her shy smile pokes through. She is going to be the death of him.

The next kiss they share isn’t gentle. Kelly pours all of his pent-up frustration into it, now intoxicated by the smell and taste of her. She smells like coconut and tastes like the girly beer she’s been drinking all night. His fingers get caught in strands of her hair and he no longer bothers to tease her with his tongue. Sylvie wraps her hand around his shoulder and reaches around the back of his neck, forcing him further into her. It is sexy as all hell. He digs his fingers into her back without thinking. Kelly makes sure to kiss her until he is certain her lips are pink and swollen from his attention. Unless absolute necessary, he has no plans to pull away from her.

Without much mention or acknowledgment of it, Kelly’s hand slides up beneath hem of the shirt she wears, his fingertips now running over her ribs. Sylvie shivers a bit from the tender touch. Against the pad of his fingers, her belly is soft and warm as his rough and calloused hands explore her body. Kelly doesn't think he could stand to be here a minute longer. They need to get out of this bar immediately. Sylvie sighs contentedly, hooking both her arms around his neck when Kelly breaks the lingering kiss. If he doesn't pull away now, he won’t be able to later.

Kelly can practically hear her mind racing. He Is so damn intrigued by this woman. After only a moment of hesitation, she interrupts the silence with a whisper, asking if he wants to go somewhere else and finish what they started.

His mouth hovers next to her cheek as Kelly whispers, “You’re place or mine?”

* * *

With all of the firehouse gathered together, Boden clears his throat, working to quiet the room and gain everyone’s attention. Of course, his efforts are effective, and a hush falls over the room, leaving everyone to look around at each other, wondering why they're here at all.

Kelly had just shown up for his shift, only having just changed out of his street clothes in the locker room when this meeting was called. Standing towards the back of the room, he scans the room, watching as others whisper among themselves.

It’s only then that Kelly notices the small blonde woman standing beside Boden. He’d recognize her anywhere. It's days like this that Kelly can’t believe his life.

“Holy shit.” A few people sitting around him turn to look as a result of his use of profanities, Casey included, who just so happens to be seated directly next to Kelly.

Clearly confused by the outburst, his friend voices his surprise. “What the hell?”

Before Kelly can explain or even understand the situation for himself, Boden is addressing the curious crowd. “Everyone, I’d like to introduce you to Sylvie Brett.” With a pleasant smile, the Chief extends his arm out to rest on Sylvie’s shoulder. She smiles tightly, obviously nervous to be standing before such a large group. No one likes being the new girl after all. “She’ll be joining Dawson on Ambo…so, uh, be sure to introduce yourself before the day is through.”

Kelly watches as Sylvie’s eyes scan the room. He wonders how far he would have to slide down into the nearest seat before anyone took notice. With a clap of Boden’s hands, the meeting is essentially over, and - just like that - everyone in the room scatters. Naturally, a few remain to approach Sylvie, all interested in exchanging pleasantries and quick words of advice. Believing now to be a better time than any, Kelly joins the line.'

This is going to be interesting.

Soon enough, Hermann gave up on his attempt to make her laugh, leaving Kelly to linger awkwardly behind her. With his hands stuffed in his pockets and his stomach lodged in his throat, he moves himself towards her just as she turns on her heel.

Now, they are face-to-face and there is no avoiding this.

Stumbling backwards - as though the wind had actually been knocked out of her - Sylvie gasps. In that moment of recognition, Sylvie’s eyes grow two times the size, looking as though they could come out of her head. “Oh my god."

Kelly smiles weakly, nervously rubbing at the back of his neck. “Hi.”


	2. Chapter 2

Stumbling backwards - as though the wind was actually knocked out of her - Sylvie gasps. In that moment of recognition, her eyes grow two times in size, looking as though they might escape her head. “Oh my god."  
  
Kelly smiles weakly, nervously rubbing at the back of his neck. “Hi.”   
  
For an awkward moment, they both squirm in place. Kelly’s hands rest on his hips and Sylvie remains still, stunned silent. She blushes her cheeks turning a deep color of red she wishes she could wipe away with one vigorous swim of her hand. Meanwhile, Kelly's eyes roam the room, looking to be sure no one around is suspicious of this weird exchange of theirs. They’re supposed to be complete strangers. He shouldn’t know how she sounds in bed and where she likes to be touched. Only Otis and Cruz remain though, the two men messing around in the kitchen area, speaking loudly about which dessert is better: pies or brownies? Kelly chuckles a bit at them, hardly phased by the relationship the two share, having been exposed to their antics for years now. It's obvious neither man is paying any attention to anyone else in the room.   
  
Even still, Kelly wants to be sure.   
  
Feeling the need for privacy, Kelly reaches for Sylvie's arm and grabs a hold of her forearm. She jumps at the contact. “Can we talk?” He wonders, cocking his head in the direction of another room.  
  
With wide eyes and an unsteady voice, she agrees. "Sure. Yeah.”   
  
Sylvie follows him down the hall, arriving in a room that looks like it hadn't seen visitors in months. This isn’t happening. This can’t be happening. This isn’t real. Sylvie’s eyes catch sight of the stitching on the jacket he wears, informing her that Kelly doesn’t just work at 51. He is a Lieutenant.   
  
Kelly ushers her inside the room with a hand on her back. Just as soon as Sylvie feels the touch of his fingertips against her shirt, Kelly pulls them away as if she was lit on fire and it is painful for him to touch her. She turns on her heel as he closes the door behind them, her hands shaking in the back pocket of her pants, feeling like such strange extensions of her body and she doesn’t know what to do with them exactly. Sylvie can tell Kelly is on edge since neither of them expected to run into each other today. He thought he would never see her again.  
  
  
But it wasn't just about the sex.   
  
After it was all said and done, Sylvie hadn’t been quick to throw him out of her apartment. Mainly because Kelly was drunk, and it was late, but also because she was intrigued by him and wasn't ready for their night to end yet. While the touch of another person had been amazing on its own - considering she had not been anyone in a while - their emotional connection was great as well. Both that night and now, standing here, his eyes are heavy, and his breaths labored. Without the alcohol, Kelly looks years older now than he had the night they first met. At times, it looks as though it actually pains him to draw in oxygen.

Obviously, knowing what she does now, it's ironic neither one of their occupations or employers were discussed that night. A simple conversation involving those topics surely would have saved them both this awkward moment. This was not how Sylvie imagined her first day at a new job going. Upon being offered the job, she was aware it wouldn’t always be easy, considering she was joining Ambo 61 under less than ideal circumstances. She knew one of their own had died in the line of duty and that she would be working with Gabriela Dawson. But in the Chief's office earlier, the woman had seemed less than pleased to meet her. Sylvie couldn’t say she blames Dawson for her reaction to a new face. If Sylvie had lost a friend and co-worker, she’s not sure she would be welcoming to their replacement either.  
  
This opportunity is unlike any Sylvie has known before, her chance for a fresh start, a chance to move on from unwanted relationships and small towns. She’s only been in Chicago for just under a week and has already seen more excitement in that span of time than she had the entire year before. Well…walking away from her engagement to Harrison certainly caused some interesting conversations, but that is in the past now and this is her present.   
  
This morning, Sylvie saw a photo of Leslie Shay on the wall. When she walked into 51 a few hours ago, duffle bag in hand, excited for this new phase of her life, there was a photo of her displayed in the main hallway. She was pretty. Her facial features sharp and striking, matching her green eyes and bright blonde hair. Sylvie knows she had large shoes to fill. Though many had seemed welcoming upon her introduction to 51 just a few minutes ago, she knows it won’t be that easy.   
  
None of this is going to be easy.   
  
And then it clicks, standing there with Kelly’s glaring eyes burning into her skin. Shay. He briefly mentioned the name that night at the bar. It hadn’t been much, like a passing thought more than anything else, but it’s definitely the same girl. Shay was his best friend and he’d lost her and now she - Sylvie - is here to replace his best friend. No wonder Kelly looks like the whole world had been dropped on his shoulder and is constantly fighting for breath. Sylvie wants to cry for him. The devastation and sadness he must feel like a ton of bricks each day. She can't imagine.   
  
“No one can know." Breaking her from her thoughts, Kelly finally speaks, having now stopped his rapid pacing. Pulling at one of his earlobes, his gaze is piercing, as though he's examining her. Everything about this makes Sylvie uncomfortable, as though she’s entirely removed from her own body.   
  
"Excuse me?” She tucks a loose strand behind her ear and furrows her eyebrows, confused as hell by all of this.   
  
Kelly crosses his arms over his chest, causing him to lean closer to her. "The other night,” he clarifies, raising his eyebrows as though his vague statement should have been obvious to her. “We shouldn’t tell anyone about that. No one should know.” The volume of his voice tapers off when he lowers his head, now staring down at his feet, as though hoping to avoid eye contact altogether.   
  
The last ten minutes have left Sylvie feeling as though she is suffering from whiplash, blown away by how small the world can be. Someone is surely enjoying themselves, playing this cruel joke on her. Not only had she had sex with this man, but she's also replacing the best friend he lost. He must hate the sight of her now. Just as Dawson does.   
  
After taking a moment to compose herself, she nods, hoping to understand. "No, yeah. I get it.”   
  
And she does. Mostly.   
  
It’s not that she wants him to scream from the rooftops that they had had sex, not having any crazy expectations for the future after one night with a guy. More than anything else, Sylvie just wishes he didn't seem so eager to deny the event altogether. It makes her feel dirty, like he regrets all that happened. She couldn’t possibly be that bad in bed.   
  
It kills Kelly to see a flash of anger in Sylvie's eyes. His stomach twists, annoyed they have to have this conversation at all. It's strange and uncomfortable and…necessary, especially now that they are going to be working together. They need to act professional, as though they hadn't seen each other naked a few nights before. No one can find out they were ever so intimate.   
  
No one can know. He has convinced himself that this is what's right.   
  
Kelly isn't interested in giving the 51 another reason to talk about him, to gossip about his personal life and his not so secret pain. Since Shay's death, everyone has already paid him enough attention for a lifetime. Were they to find out he went and slept with the new girl, all sorts of rumors and stories would be created in the hallways. That doesn't mean he wants to forget or ignore their night. It’s all he’d been able to think about for days, always there in the back of his mind. The way she smiled and laughed and moved, trapped beneath his body. All of it were vivid memories in his head. Though Kelly has been with countless woman in his life - thought not nearly as many as everyone seems to believe - few made him feel as incredible as this little blonde standing in front of him now had that night.   
  
In his arms, Sylvie had been vibrant and bold, taking charge on many occasions. Now, she looks defeated and unsure and that’s because of him. Kelly really needs to stop making poor decisions. In her bed, she talked about how excited she was to start work and then, in a matter of days, that same job opportunity of hers had gone from packed with potential to downright awkward, all of her grand expectations pushed off a cliff.   
  
Feeling guilty, Kelly sighs, hardly able to look her in the eye. “It’s for the best, with you just starting out here and all.” This is his attempt to rationalize all of this, not only to her, but for himself.   
  
Even now, he wants to kiss her. He really wants to kiss her. Her eyes are wide and her cheeks rosy. She looks so beautiful and innocent and Kelly really wants to be bad. He can't imagine what it's going to be like, having to pass her in the halls of the firehouse and not be able to drag her into a closet or the bathroom to have the kind of fun he wants.   
  
But he will have to. If Kelly had any kind of self-control, he’ll do this.   
  
Not really sure what else there is to say, Sylvie takes to biting at her nail. She certainly wasn’t interested in trying to convince him otherwise. She was so embarrassed and just wanted to be done with this conversation completely. She wanted so badly to walk out of this room and not look back, but Kelly was blocking her path to the door and he was staring at her. She could feel her skin crawl underneath his watchful eye. “Uh…so, how are you?” It was the best she could come up with.  
  
If they weren't planning on acknowledge certain things, it was best they kept to simple conversation. She could be his co-worker. She would be his co-worker. She could do this. She could be the replacement for his dead best friend and nothing more. Sure, it was going to be weird…crazy weird, but she made it through middle school once. Nothing could be worse than that.   
  
“Good. I’m good.” Clearing his throat, Kelly lies, pushing his lower lip out while shaking his head.   
  
Looking down at her hands, Sylvie feels warm as she fiddles with her thumb. All at once, he is too far away and too close. "Great, that’s good.” She’s glad to hear it. Truly. She would never wish him otherwise. "I’m good, too.” She closes her eyes dramatically while scrunching up her nose. “Sorry, you didn’t ask.”  
  
He laughs fully. Sylvie loves the sound.   
  
“I’m sorry this is so awkward.” Only once some of the embarrassment fades, Sylvie speaks. She can't imagine the pain he’s already experiencing and her being around is only making it worse. Feeling like a burden is not something she enjoys.  
  
A moment passes before he responds. She’s not even sure Kelly moves. "Don’t be. We didn’t know.”   
  
She smiles at him, mainly because it's the first thing she could think to do, her attempt to extend an olive branch. They are going to be fine. They can do this. If she convinces herself well enough, it will happen. There is this strange sense of tension and comfort that lingers in the room. Perhaps it's because once they step outside again - out from behind the closed door - everyone will be under the impression that they are strangers. In this smelly closet, they can exist in a world where those assumptions are false.   
  
Before he can stop himself, Kelly's arm leaves his side and reaches for her. He knows he shouldn’t touch because it’s not fair. He can’t touch her. And it’s not because he doesn’t want to because…he fucking wants to. More than anything, Kelly wants to touch her. Sylvie is right there for the taking, if she'll have him. That night with her had been the first time in weeks that he felt anything good, anything real. He didn’t feel sad or broken or lonely and he wants to hold on to that feeling, for a little while longer. For as long as possible.  
  
Luckily, Sylvie meets him in the middle. Against all of her better judgement, she steps towards him. Before long, their bodies are so close, Kelly can practically hear her heart beating. Both are startled by the sound of a voice sounding out over the loud speaker. "Ambo 61. House call involving a sixteen-year-old female." The rest of the report falls on deaf ears as Kelly and Sylvie only have eyes for each other.  
  
Sylvie snaps back into reality first. Taking a step back, she runs a shaky hand over the material of her shirt, checking to ensure she still looks presentable. She has to be a professional outside of this room. "I should probably go." Due to their height difference, the back of her neck starts to hurt from having to look up at him. The sooner she can get out of here, the better.   
  
Kelly agrees with a nod. "Probably...big first day.” The latter half of his statement is whispered, so quiet Sylvie can barely make it out. Finally, he steps aside so she can reach the door. “Good luck.”   
  
In one swift motion, Sylvie's clutches the door handle and opens the door, disappearing behind it without saying another word.   
“What’s wrong with you?” Running up behind Kelly in the hall, Casey is curious.  
  
All day, Kelly has wondered around 51 looking distracted, as though his mind is in a different place entirely. Shrugging Casey's hand off of his shoulder, he groans, running his hands over his face as he makes his way into his quarters, Casey following closely behind. Kelly isn’t surprised. These days, he can’t get a minute to himself. Though Casey knows his presence isn't necessarily wanted, he still remains, closing the door behind them both. Unfortunately, Casey also knows that if he doesn’t put in the effort to ask certain questions or pry for information, he’ll never know anything that is going on with Kelly, as he is not the type to openly express his feelings. He's more interested in keeping his mouth shut and going about his business without much drama made of it.   
  
Kelly does not want to keep having these awkward conversations.   
  
Of course, Kelly is nothing but professional on the job. In all of the years he’s spent in this line of work, Casey has never a met a man more dedicated than Kelly. Whatever is asked of him, he delivers. It doesn’t matter how large the request or how dangerous the threat, Kelly is reliable. His loyalty is one of the qualities Casey admires most about him. Even since Shay's death, not a day has passed where Casey feared Kelly was incapable of doing his job. Kelly is too focused to make mistakes...even with a few distractions to contend with every now and again.   
  
While Casey leans against Kelly's desk, his arms crossed over his chest, Kelly stretches out on his bed, clearly worn out from something.   
  
"You're acting weird." Calling it like it is, Casey thinks it's Kelly's turn to speak, maybe even admit to something.  
  
Even though Casey is one of his best friends and they've mended their relationship in recent months, Kelly doesn’t know what he’s supposed to say or how is expected to react to this confrontation of sorts. It wouldn’t be fair for him to tell Casey about what happened with Sylvie after making sure she wouldn’t do the same. Kelly is not a hypocrite.

Everywhere he goes in the firehouse, Sylvie seems to be. At the end of halls, he catches a glimpse of her blonde hair just before she turns the corner. Still, Kelly can’y help but be reminded of Shay whenever Sylvie is around. Obviously, the hair color is the most striking similarity between the two women. In the face though, there aren’t many features they shares. While Shay has - had - a sharper look about her, Sylvie's expressions are much softer. Maybe it's just too soon, Kelly thinks. Maybe...if he met Sylvie a year from now, he wouldn't feel so easily reminded of his friend, the memory of her still too fresh.   
  
"I slept with her.” Finally, Kelly confesses, no longer able to hold his tongue - though he is quick to bite it after. He should’ve kept his mouth shut. He really needs to learn to keep his mouth shut.   
  
“What?” Casey doesn't understand. He furrows his eyebrows and turns his head to the side.   
  
Kelly sighs heavily. "The new girl…we met at a bar a few nights ago.” It's his attempt at clarification. Even without seeing Casey's expression, Kelly can sense his judgement. Truthfully, he can’t blame his friend. Were the roles reversed, he'd likely feel a certain way about the whole situation, too. “I never thought I’d see her again.” Sitting up then, Kelly groans, amazed by the ridiculousness of his life.   
  
Ducking his chin into his chest, Casey laughs wildly. While Kelly can understand the reaction, he does wish the man tried to contain it a little. Eventually, Casey regains his composure. "Please tell me you’re kidding?”   
  
Kelly can’t do that and groans once more, in disbelief himself.   
  
“Well, this should be fun.” With a smug smile, Casey teases, making Kelly wish he never said anything at all.   
Already, it's been nearly five weeks since Sylvie started at 51 and she's settled in nicely.  
  
It took longer than she originally anticipated, but…she's beginning to feel at home here in Chicago. Already, she loves it here. The city is amazing, no shortage of sights or places to explore here. In all her life, she's never been anywhere like it. It is nothing like Fowlerton, like Indiana. Leaving her entire life beyond was terrifying, one of the most terrifying experiences of life, but she is pleased with her decision - even knowing everything she does now.   
  
It gets lonely sometimes though.  
  
As much as she hates to admit it, Sylvie is lonely.   
  
Considering she doesn’t have any friends or family here Chicago, Sylvie knew when she moved here that there would be times where she would be less than entertained. These days, she almost wishes she decided to move in with a roommate, that way she would have someone to talk to outside of the firehouse. In the face of optimism, Sylvie would like to think this trend of loneliness won’t continue, that she’ll start to develop some lasting relationships soon.   
  
At this point, it’s clear Kelly Severide won’t be one of them.   
  
As hard as Sylvie tries, she can't figure the guy out. While there are days where Kelly actually acknowledges her existence and seems interested in having what resembles a conversation, there are others where he is sure to ignore her completely. It feels mean and unfair and like something she doesn’t deserve. His efforts to avoid her are obvious too. When she enters a room, he is quick to exit and walk the complete opposite direction. Though it's evident Kelly has a lot on his plate these days, it does not give him an excuse to treat her like shit. He does not get to treat her like some girl he picked up at a bar and decided to stalk him until he paid her the slightest bit of attention. As dreamy as he is, Sylvie is not that desperate.   
  
Though her and Gabby aren't exactly best friends at this point, Sylvie would like to think the other woman has at least warmed to her presence. At the end of the day, they work well together, saving lives in circumstances that are less than ideal. Though the hours of the job are odd and long and tiring, the reward that comes every so often make everything worth it.  
  
Today, late in her shift, they were called to a warehouse fire on the other side of town. Upon arrival, everyone from 51 was planked by members and vehicles from other stations of the city. It was clearly a situation that had escalated beyond the capabilities of one firehouse and there was a need for all hands-on deck.   
  
Unfortunately, Sylvie wasn't allowed the chance to provide her assistance at the scene for long before a particularly distraught man - desperate to find his friend - fought her as she worked to examine his injuries. he weighed so much more than she did and though she tried all she could to calm the man, he easily overpowered her. Though the patient hadn’t intended to hurt her, one of his arms came to swing wildly, hitting her across the face and neck. The contact was enough to knock her down to the pavement.  
  
More than anything else, the speed of it all caused her to cry out. Even with a fire raging on in the background, anyone close enough to hear was quick to turn and look, embarrassing Sylvie, still relatively new to 51 and having a lot to prove. It was no excuse that the man just so happened to have two hundred pounds on her. Sylvie tried to ignore Kelly and his look of concern from where he stood across the street, dressed in his full gear, helping an individual away from the building. She couldn’t help but wonder how much he saw.   
  
Before she had the chance to object to the suggestion, Boden had Sylvie sent to the hospital to be assessed. While she had not known the man for long, Sylvie had noticed he was fiercely protective of his men and women. And for that, she can’t help but respect him; therefore, not going to refuse his instance. He's only trying to look out for her health and safety.   
  
Once there, a nurse ran her through a series of routines tests, many of which Sylvie believed to be unnecessary. She's fine. The fall hadn’t even hurt that much. Aside from the minor cut over her eye and a bruise on her cheek, she is fine. Nothing an ice pack couldn’t fix. There was absolutely no need for all of these resources to be wasted on her. Sylvie is sure this woman has better things she could doing. Twenty minutes after she was left alone to wait, the curtain concealing her from other patients is pulled open and promptly shut again once the nurse reenters the area.  
  
Holding a chart close to her chest, the woman approaches Sylvie with a smile. "Looks like you're all clear. No concussion to report.” The woman looks happy to be reporting something positive, her days likely filled with bad news.   
  
Today, Sylvie is thankful to be on the receiving end of good news. "Great." Thinking she been given the all clear here and is ready to be discharged, she jumps down from the table she sat on.   
  
But before she can gather her belongings, the nurse speaks again. "There were some interesting findings in your blood work though.”   
  
That statement stops Sylvie dead in her tracks. "Alright.” She's worried now, hesitant to ask for more information, unsure if she'll like what comes next. “What does that mean?” She decides to be brave.  
  
There is a pause, a moment that lasts just a beat too long, which allows Sylvie's mind the chance to think too much. In a few years, Sylvie is sure this would be the moment she could pinpoint as the one that changes her life forever.   
  
"Congratulations. You’re pregnant.”


	3. Chapter 3

Sylvie could hardly sleep last night.

She tossed and turned in bed for hours, unable to turn her brain off. Waking up this morning, her head hurt from racing so much. She still can't believe this. She is pregnant. She's almost six weeks pregnant with Kelly Severide's and needs to start thinking about what that means, about what she wants. Whether she is prepared for it or not, a baby is on its way and, as a result, Sylvie has no choice but to be ready. 

Truthfully, this is not something she anticipated happening for her any time soon. Back in high school, Sylvie was adamant about the plan for her life. All her friends knew she would only have children once she established her career, had been married for years, and was financially stable enough to handle the responsibility. Realizing now that none of those stipulations she had set for herself once upon a time are met, Sylvie wants to cry. This is all so overwhelming. For one, having only just started at 51, her salary is minimal. While the money is enough to live on, renting an apartment in Chicago isn’t cheap. After her bill for the month is paid, Sylvie only has so much money to work with. And to make matters worse, she isn’t even currently involved with the father. She’s not sure she can remember the last time they had a real, substantial conversation.

Before Kelly, it had been months since she was last intimate with anyone. Her last boyfriend - fiancé - was Harrison and it has been months since she’s last seen him. This news is especially surprising to Sylvie considering she’s been on birth control since she was eighteen years old and they used a condom. Of course, those methods of protection are not a hundred percent effective.

She is already dreading having to tell her family about this. Her father will probably be less than proud of his only daughter. Only seven weeks removed from Indiana and she’s gotten herself knocked up. This is insane. This can't be her life. Just as soon as he hears the news, Sylvie is sure Patrick Brett will demand she returns home. But she won't listen. Honestly, as crazy as this all is, Sylvie doesn't have any interest in leaving Chicago. Sure, things are messy and complicated since arriving, but she is in love with the independence being on her own has allowed her. In Indiana, she never lived more than five miles away from any family member. Whenever something happened in her life, Sylvie was sure to hear from all of them, each ready to offer their sage advice. Breaking up with her ex had been difficult, but the pain had only been extrapolated by her family’s input, as they all tried to convince her to take back her ring, to remain engaged to a man she no longer had anything in common with.

She loves her family and all, but their love can be exhausting.

For the first time in her life, Sylvie is allowed to make her own choices. While she’s always considered herself a responsible person, she no longer has the luxury of screwing up, as another life now depends on her entirely. She needs to be strong and sure of her decisions going forward. And currently, she isn’t sure about a damn thing except that Sylvie wants to do the right thing by the life growing inside of her. There are simply no other options. While her relationship with her own mother is difficult at times, Sylvie hopes to provide her own child with the best life she can. 

And even though she doesn't know the first thing about Kelly, she has to tell him. He deserves to know. Though she sort of wishes she could deny the truth for a bit longer, a pregnancy is certainly not something she will be able to hide for long. Eventually, she will start to show and she’ll have even more questions to answer then. 

The only answer she does have is that she wants this baby. As crazy and unconventional as the circumstances are, she will hunker down and get her life in order. It is terrifying, but she can make this work…no matter what.  Even with the assurance from both a nurse and a doctor that the fall she'd taken the day before had no ill effect on the pregnancy, Sylvie can't help but think she's already off to a terrible start as a mother, a less than comforting feeling.

When the time is right, Sylvie will tell Kelly and hope he doesn't freak out.

* * *

It takes nearly twenty minutes of searching for Kelly to track down Sylvie. She is working on stocking equipment for the ambulance when he finds her and ventures out to the bay of the firehouse.

“Hey.” Hoping not to startle her, Kelly greets her quietly as he walks up behind her. With her arms full, Sylvie turns on her heel to face him. Her expression quickly turns into a frown at the sight of him. Kelly’s stomach turns. She is obviously displeased by his presence and he tries not to be too offended. He has no right. 

Kelly can tell she's tense. Her jaw is locked and her eyes are narrows, now shard and dark. He is quick to notice the bruise on her cheek, now a mixture of various colors. Purple and green and yellow. It's hard to miss. Randomly, he feels the urge to reach out to touch her, just below the bruise, but he resists. He knows she would not have any part of the contact and would pull away immediately. Kelly has no right to touch her. In addition, just above her eyebrow, there is a large cut. He doesn't see any stitches so it must not have been too bad. Still, it looks painful. He’d seen it dripping with blood just after she’d fallen yesterday, though he’d been preoccupied with his own responsibilities at that warehouse fire. Kelly saw Sylvie get knocked around by that patient and it pissed him off. It made Kelly’s blood boil. But he couldn’t just rush over to her then and there. It would’ve looked too suspicious. Still, he's not interested in allowing Sylvie to think he doesn't care about her. Because he does. Kelly does care. Enough to scare him. 

"Do you have a minute?” Taking some of what she is carrying underneath his own arm, Kelly wonders. He's hoping she can spare him a few seconds.

Quickly, she shakes her head and looks down at the floor, her eyebrows furrow together. “I really can’t talk right now.” Even if she wasn't busy, Sylvie wouldn’t be interested in talking to him right now anyway. At the moment, he feels like nothing more than an annoyance to her.

Circling around her to drop the package he holds onto the step of the ambulance, Kelly probably deserves this cold shoulder she's offering. He hasn’t exactly been excepting to her presence since she arrived at 51. “There’s actually something I’ve been meaning to say.” Scratching at the back of his neck out of nervousness, Kelly is beginning to feel as though he could have prepared himself better for this encounter.

Kelly needs her to know he's sorry for how he has treated her recently. He wants her to know that that will change going forward. Kelly is tired of being the resident jackass in the house because he's so caught up in mourning Shay. She won't come back no matter how much he wants her to…how much he needs her to. Using her death as an excuse to be miserable won't work anymore. 

Sylvie moves the equipment in her hands, probably growing frustrated by the weight of it. “I’m not interested. Not right now.” Kelly blocks her path when she tries to walk past him. Annoyed, Sylvie sighs.

Tying his fingers together behind his back, Kelly keeps himself from reaching out to her. It's clear she doesn’t want him to. “You scared me yesterday.” And that is the truth, whether she believes him or not.

Sylvie scoffs. “Don’t kid yourself.” She is tempted to roll her eyes and Kelly notices. “You don’t care about me, Kelly. It’s not like we’re friends. You’ve made that perfectly clear.” The frustration in her voice is clear.

“Why are you acting like this?”

“Because I’m pregnant!” Sylvie shouts, her annoyance peaking now. It’s only after it's too late that she realizes where they are standing - out in the open, where anyone could have walked by and heard her news. Luckily, no one os in sight. Sylvie is quick to cover her mouth anyway, surprised by her own outburst. “Shit!”

At first, Kelly thinks she's kidding. There's just no way. She has to be kidding. She's not pregnant. It's not possible. “No you’re not.” He chuckles, confused as to why she would joke about something like this.

Her eyes are pointed down at the floor now, making her appear almost apologetic, as though expecting him to be angry with her. "That really wasn’t how I planned to tell you.” Sylvie whispers, looking to be on the verge of tears.

Kelly might throw up. The serious expression on her face is enough to convince him that she really isn’t messing with him, that this isn’t a joke. Sylvie is pregnant. But how could that be possible? They used a condom. He’d worn a condom. They used protection. “You’re serious? You’re really pregnant?” He needs one final confirmation of the fact from her, a hint of doubt still in his tone. She nods and he can hardly believe it. “How long have you known?” With narrowed eyes and a heavy sigh, Kelly questions her curiously.

How long has she known their entire lives were going to change? How long has she known about their child? He is going to be a father and he wants to throw up.

Clearing her throat, Sylvie struggles to look at him, her eyes wandering elsewhere, her composure now much shakier in comparison to the sturdy ground she stood on just a minute ago. “I found out yesterday.” Swallowing deeply, Sylvie reveals this information hesitantly.

Kelly isn't proud of what he says next. “And it’s mine?” He probably shouldn’t have asked, but he has to know. Whatever happens next between them relies heavily on her answer to his question.

He simply is not interested in becoming invested in someone else’s child again. After all, he'd been through that once before. When Renee returned to town not long ago, claiming to be pregnant with his baby, Kelly was quick to step up. He was ready for the rest of their lives together...only to find out Renee lied about her child’s true paternity. That situation had been painful for Kelly and had taken him a while to get over. If it turned out that he is in fact the father of Sylvie's baby, he will  be there for her, for his child. He will do his part...even if it scares the absolute shit out of him.

In Sylvie’s opinion, his question about whether or not he is her child’s father had been loaded. It was laced with certain assumptions about her sexual behavior. Feeling judged, Sylvie chuckles dryly, clearly not amused. In disbelief, she shakes her head. “You know what? Screw you!” Her words are sharp and cutting, paired with a pointed finger in his face.

Sometimes, Kelly really wishes he was better at communicating.


	4. Chapter 4

It’s past midnight now and Kelly knows it's considered rude to show up at someone’s home this late uninvited. But there are things he really needs to get off his chest. If he doesn’t, there is no way he’ll be able to sleep.  
  
Ever since Sylvie stormed away from him in the bay of the firehouse earlier, Kelly couldn’t seem to shut his brain off. She’d told him she was pregnant…with his child, without providing much more information. Honestly, Kelly can’t blame Sylvie for her reaction or for leaving him in the dust the way she had. Kelly isn’t stupid. He's well aware that the filter in his head didn’t always work so well, especially in regard to women. If it were an actual thing, Kelly is sure he would be diagnosed with diarrhea of the mouth. Too often, he finds himself on the wrong end of an uncomfortable interaction and it had been no different today. His question about her baby’s paternity had obviously offended her. Kelly wasn’t sure why he thought asking Sylvie something like that was a smart idea. He likely didn’t consider the consequences.  
  
The rest of the day passes in a blur after they talk and each time he tries to approach her, Sylvie had an excuse and would run off in another direction. It was difficult to focus on the mountains of paperwork at his desk after he’d just learned that he is going to be a father. Holy shit. He is going to be a father. Kelly surely hadn’t thought he would be saying that sentence for another few years.  
  
Though he managed to focus on his tasks today to some level, concentrating proved difficult at times. Kelly knows Sylvie isn’t the type of girl to sleep around. It just doesn’t seem like her style. Oddly enough, that aspect of her personality provides him with a sense of relief. Were Sylvie to start dating someone new, Kelly is sure he'd feel jealous, baby or not. Anyone with eyes could tell Sylvie is a catch. She's beautiful and personable and damn good at her job.  
  
Kelly shouldn’t want her. He knows that. It’s not fair. Sylvie is a good person - certainly a better person than him - and he would never want to hurt her. She's kind - almost naive to a point - and accepting of everything and everyone. Kelly has yet to discover one negative quality about the girl. For some reason, that annoys Kelly. He is by no means a perfect person. Why does she get to be?  
  
Obviously, he’s been involved with girls like Sylvie before. But those relationships never really seem to work out well. More often than not, someone involved ends up hurt just because they are too different to communicate properly. While Kelly hadn’t been ready for any sort of extended commitment, previous women failed to understand his loyalty to his career. The hours he works typically cause conflict in his prior relationships, because they always desire more attention from him and Kelly is a firefighter before he is anything else. He was practically born one. It is all he’s ever known. In high school, while all his friends were committing to colleges all over the country and planning to party for the next four years, Kelly already secured his place in the academy. Sometimes, he wonders if he’ll ever be able to love anything - or anyone - as much as he loves his job.  
  
Scratch that. He did once. He still does.  
  
Even if it meant he would never be able to step into gear again, Kelly would rather have Shay back.  
  
It intrigues Kelly to think of what Shay’s reaction would have been when she discovered he was going to be a father. His first assumption is that she would slap him on the wrist for being so stupid. After the initial shock subsided, Kelly knows she would have been happy for him, happy to see him maturing in some way. Also, she probably would've claimed the role of godmother in no time and worked to befriend Sylvie, knowing just how to make the situation less awkward for all parties involved.  
  
Ironically, Kelly never would’ve meet Sylvie were Shay still alive. All at once, that thought is painful and interesting to ponder. Kelly likes to think Shay would have liked Sylvie though. It’s not much, but the idea is comforting.  
  
She's never directly said so, but Kelly could imagine she is a person who still believes in fate and soulmates and a grand romance, even though all signs point to such things no longer existing. And if they do, Kelly wonders where they're hiding. He hates to be the one to put a hitch in her plans. She wants - and rightfully deserves - that perfect marriage with the stereotypical two-and-a-half kids and a white picket fence in suburban American. Kelly could see her as the soccer mom or whatever they’re called, with the minivan to boot. Instead, she received a drunken night with an emotional wrecked stranger, a child neither of there are sure how to care for, and what appears to be a less than ideal apartment.  
  
Logically, Kelly is aware he’s not some simple person wrecking ball, looking to wreck havoc on whoever he touches. After all, it takes two in the bedroom and Sylvie had been more than willing to sleep with him the night this all started. Clearly, all of their efforts to protect themselves proven to be in vain. As sad as it sounds, Kelly often considers his presence in people’s lives as a poison. Maybe he’d be better off alone.  
  
But there is a baby to consider now. Their baby. Whether they are ready to face reality or not, Sylvie id pregnant and there are things they need to discuss…more important things than how hard it is for Kelly to refrain from kissing her most days.  
  
After getting off his shift, Kelly paces around his apartment for hours before finally deciding he has to see her. Tonight, while he succeeded in finding her neighborhood, the rest is a struggle. For a while, he proceeds to wonder the local streets, hoping a flash or a memory would work to lead him in the right direction. The last time he was here, he’d been too focused on Sylvie and getting all of her clothes off to focus on other details around him. Though he'd never tell her this, Kelly can tell this side of town leaves a lot to be desired. Several of the buildings look run down, as though many people who once lived have since ventured to another area of the city, in the hopes of getting away from the crime present here.  
  
Eventually, Kelly finds her building and presses the button next to Brett’s name, effectively signaling her to his presence. Over the speaker, she is obviously surprised to hear his voice. She clearly wasn’t expecting him at this hour. But after a moment of hesitation, Sylvie buzzes him inside. Next, he stalks up the stairwell to her floor to find her standing her doorway at the end of the hall, wearing pajamas. While her shorts are covered in a bright plaid pattern, her shirt is white and plain, nothing more than a loose piece of material draped over her body. Kelly wonders if Sylvie knows she’s not wearing a bra and that her shirt is less than concealing.  
  
“I’m sorry it’s so late.” His apology comes once he’s made it halfway to where she stands. In response, she shrugs and allows him to enter her apartment.  
  
At first, she lingers by the door and Kelly ventures further inside. The distance between them makes him self-conscious, now doubting why he bothered traveling across town at all. Kelly knows apologizing would be the perfect first step here. He’s not proud of how he’s behaved in recent weeks, or of the offensive question he asked only hours before and she needs to know that.  
  
Since the last time he was here, at her place, Sylvie finally got around to unpacking. There are no longer boxes lying around and there are now photos on the walls and pillows on the couch, cluing him into some of her personality. The room is still bright and cheery though there is not an ounce of sunlight streaming in through the windows. As Kelly investigates his surroundings, Sylvie - without saying a word - crosses the room into the kitchen area and pulls something out from underneath a magnet on the refrigerator. Standing in front of him, Sylvie looks so small, probably because she’s not wearing shoes. And as if it is even possible, she looks more beautiful to him in that moment than ever before. Her hair is pulled back behind her ears and she isn’t wearing any makeup, her eyes red from being disturbed from sleep.  
  
Surprising him, she passes Kelly the paper she retrieved. It doesn't take him long to realize the picture is a sonogram he imagines she got last night.  
  
As of now, it doesn’t look like much. The picture is black and white and grainy with Sylvie’s name and other identifying information printed at the top corner. The only resemblance of a baby is the little white blob in the center. Other than that, there isn’t much to see, but Kelly still feels his heart clench at the sight. He can hardly believe this. He is looking at his baby. In a few weeks’ time, he's sure they’ll be able to see arms and legs and small features beginning to form. Kelly wonders if the baby will be a boy or a girl. Either way, he doesn't think he'd mind much either way. As long as they are born healthy. He imagines that is what every other parent hopes.  
  
After allowing himself just a moment to appreciate the picture he holds, Kelly attempts to hand the sonogram back to Sylvie, but she waves him off. "You can keep that one. I have another.” Pointing her finger over her shoulder, Sylvie smiles hesitantly.  
  
Kelly appreciates the gesture, stuffing the photo into the back pocket of his jeans. "Thanks.”  
  
Standing much closer to him now, Sylvie dances on her toes, appearing unnerved by something. She proceeds to look down at the ground before crossing her arms behind her back. “Just so you know, I'm not expecting anything.” She whispers and scratches at the back of her head, avoiding all eye contact with Kelly. "If you didn’t want to be involved, that would be okay. I think I could do this on my own.” While she tries to look and act strong, her voice wavers, Kelly can hear it.  
  
Kelly can already start to feel his pulse rising, as though someone has raised the temperature in the room by twenty degrees. “Is that the kind of guy you think I am?” His question leaves his mouth in a snap, his words biting, causing Sylvie to jump. He almost didn’t realize she stepped backwards. "Someone who walks away from his responsibilities? Who is gonna abandon you?” Kelly tries to control the volume of his voice.  
  
Sylvie doesn’t know how to respond. Her wide eyes are an indication of that. “I don’t know. I’m just trying to…”  
  
Cutting her off, Kelly sighs, helping to calm him down a bit. “You’re trying to let me off the hook.” Sylvie probably thinks she is doing him some kind of favor, by relinquishing him of all of his duties. “What would you expect me to do? Walk around 51 for the next few months, ignoring you? Denying the fact that that’s my kid?” Kelly wonders, pointing at her stomach, emphasizing his point. The potential of that possibility sounds crazy to him, only further enforcing his stance on being involved in his child’s life.  
  
Sylvie nods. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”  
  
Kelly stomach sinks, not wanting her to feel guilty for how she feels. She is just as scared as him. He has to do better to remember that. “Honestly, I’m not sure what’s happen next or where we go from here.” And that is the truth, both aware this situation is less than conventional.  
  
“We’re gonna have to tell Boden.” Sylvie realizes this before Kelly. He freezes at her mention of their boss. Without question, the Chief is the person Kelly respected most in the world. "That way he’s aware of the things I won’t be able to do anymore.” Sylvie looks more composed now, sure of her words. At least one of them is capable of rational thought.  
  
“Tomorrow.” Kelly makes a decision for them. "We’ll do it tomorrow.” Whether he wants to or not, telling Boden was something that had to be done. They couldn’t avoid that conversation forever. She agrees to his suggestion with a nod.  
  
In no time at all, her entire demeanor changes. Her faint smile fades and her eyes begin to fill with tears. There is now a frown planted firmly on her face and Kelly doesn’t know what to do next, how to comfort her.  
  
In one quick motion, Sylvie throws her palms up to face and cries. "This is so embarrassing.” Her words are muffled behind her hands. “He’s gonna fire me! I’m still the new girl. I’m supposed to be making a good impression. This is the opposite of that!” Once she finally moves her hands, her face is scrunched up in frustration.  
  
He tries not to, but Kelly chuckles. “Sylvie, they can’t fire you because you’re pregnant. That’s discrimination.” She glares at him. This reaction to his teasing is enough to return Kelly’s expression to one that is blank. She is adorable.  
  
“That’s so not the point!” She cries, tears streaming down her face. Luckily, Sylvie also seems slightly amused by her own behavior. A brief smile emerges after she manages to take in a deep breath. Soon, she walks over to her couch, dropping down hard on the cushion there. “I just wish this all wasn’t so hard. I wish I knew what to do and what was right. What I really wish is that I could just hide away for the next seven months…that way I won’t have to face anyone.” The tone in her voice resembles a whine now.  
  
Kelly follows, sitting down on the seat next to her. Before long, one of his hands touches her back, hoping to soothe her. He’s never been good at this. "You know that’s not an option.” Kelly needs her to think rationally here. Watching her panic only causes him further anxiety. Though he understands her concerns, stressing herself out so much is less than productive for them. It’s not healthy.  
  
Surprising Kelly, Sylvie moves towards him, clearly worn down by the last few days. Her head lands on his shoulder. “Are you sure?”  
  
Kelly nods, pushing a piece of her hair out of her face with his hand. “Look, Boden likes you. He respects you. You’ve done everything asked of you since starting at 51.” Since she is still leaning against him, Kelly stares straight ahead as he speaks. "No one is going to think any less of you just because you’re pregnant. You don’t have to worry about that.” Kelly doesn't want her to worry about anything. Logically, he knows that isn't likely.  
  
After she lifts her head from his shoulder, Sylvie nods and wipes away her tears. Kelly isn’t so sure she actually believes him, but she pretends to. He appreciates the effort. A moment later, she faces him, her eyes now red and puffy. “Kelly?"  
  
“Hm?”  
  
Instead of maintaining eye contact with him, Sylvie plays with her nails in her lap. “Do you regret it?” She questions, but Kelly doesn’t exactly understand. He narrows his eyebrows to signal this confusion to her. "The night we met? Knowing what you do now, would go back and change it?” There is a great amount of apprehension in her body language. She knows the question is loaded.  
  
Without hesitation, Kelly shakes his head. And not just because he knows it’s what she wants to hear, but because it's the truth. “Would you?” He turns the question back on her, curious of what her response might be.  
  
“No.”  
  
Kelly is happy to hear it. “Good.”  
  
Then, they exist in a moment of silence. On Sylvie’s back, Kelly’s hand stops its movement and is now frozen in place just above the waistband of her pajama shorts. Meanwhile, her fingers are focused on playing with a string that dangles from the hem of his shirt. For an extended period of time, their eyes remain locked and neither moves an inch. The sexual tension could be cut with a knife. “I’m scared.” Finally, Sylvie confesses, breaking the moment as quickly as it began.  
  
“Me too.” Kelly needs her to know she’s not alone, the panic and fear and worry in her eyes bothering Kelly. If he could snap his fingers and make everything okay for her, he would. Obviously, that is not the world they live in.  
  
Then, though maybe he shouldn’t have, Kelly leans in to kiss her. The opportunity is too great for him to ignore. To his surprise, Sylvie doesn’t pull away. Her mouth is soft against his and it’s not long before she kisses him back. As far as Kelly is concerned, they can concern themselves with the repercussions of this in the morning. Right now, what is happening feels good and he certainly won’t be the one to stop Sylvie as she climbs into his lap.  
Sylvie feels sick.  
  
Her stomach turns when she rolls over at the sound of her alarm. The blaring sound is coming from her phone where it sits on her night stand. Unfortunately, Sylvie has already been awake for at least an hour now and has long since given up on drifting back to sleep. The idea seems near impossible with the waves of nausea she's currently feeling. Every time she tries to sit up, Sylvie is forced to lie back down, feeling as though she could be sick at any moment. Though her stomach feels empty, she can't bear the thought of eating something. But Sylvie knows this is feeling is normal.  
  
Obviously, she is now experiencing her first symptom since she found out. This is a strange thing to realize. With each passing day, she’s become increasingly aware of certain changes to her body. Not only is she starting to feel ill at random times more often, but her senses seem to be heightened as well. Sometimes, Sylvie is able to smell food from across the room and it freaks her out.  
  
Already, morning sickness doesn't seem like much fun. Sylvie hates to think she might have to deal with this for several more months. If she remembers correctly, her mother did. Though everyone tried to convince her that ginger ale and crackers would do the trick to ease her sickness, Sylvie’s mother never thought so. In the end, all of that advice turned out to be bullshit.  
  
Snapping Sylvie out of her stream of consciousness, another bout of nausea strikes. It amazes her how unpredictable the feeling can be. It's completely random, popping up at all hours of the day. If this trend continues, Sylvie wonders for how long she’ll be able to hide the pregnancy. Surely people will start to grow suspicious each time she is forced to run off to the bathroom. Obviously, her tasks as a paramedic will only become more difficult now that she often feels as though she might lose her lunch. Those situations are stressful enough already, without any further complications.  
  
Speaking of complications…  
  
Kelly is still asleep beside her, laying on his stomach with his arms spread out beneath the pillow his head rests on. He doesn’t seem to be the least bit disturbed by Sylvie’s alarm or her futile attempts to return to sleep. From their activities only a few hours before, Kelly remains shirtless, the muscles in his back on full display as a result. Sylvie tries not to notice. But these days, all of her focus seems to be directed towards him. Not only is he the father of her baby, but he's so incredibly handsome. Sylvie isn’t blind. Simply put, he's hard to resist and he's made her weak.  
  
Just after midnight, he showed up and said all the right things, effectively working to calm some of Sylvie’s fears. He is sweet and charming and how was she supposed to ignore how good he smells? At first, Sylvie tried to fight the pull she felt towards him. Until she didn’t. The night before, they managed to connect in a way unlike any other time before, making it difficult to pull herself away when he moved in to kiss her. Mainly because she really does want him to.  
  
Sylvie knows it's wrong and complicated and stupid, but she wanted him to touch her last night. It is exciting…to be wanted by him. The thrill of spending the night together was exhilarating, exciting her in way she hasn't experienced. Of course, it wasn’t lost on Sylvie how much his beard has grown in recent weeks, now dark and full on his jaw, constantly serving as a reminder to Sylvie of the comment she made about how much she likes it the night they met. As if the child they now share together wasn’t already enough.  
  
Looking to disturb Kelly as little as possible, Sylvie crawls out from beneath the covers and out of the bed. On the opposite site of the mattress, he moans a bit and moves slightly, but doesn’t wake. Sylvie is relieved. Soon enough, Kelly returns to his still form, now tuned away from where she is.  
  
Sylvie won’t lie. Sylvie thoroughly enjoyed herself last night, not denying Kelly knows what he’s doing in bed. In such moments of intimacy, Sylvie has never been with someone so tender. The entire time they were involved, Kelly was sweet and thoughtful, constantly checking to see what she was comfortable with. She certainly appreciated the gesture. His touches were gentle and soft on her skin, making him harder to resist. Now a few hours removed from the experience, Sylvie still has certain images engrained in her head.  
  
For instance, she can vividly remember standing at the foot of her bed as Kelly sat in front of her shirtless. Slowly, they worked their way into her bedroom and removed certain articles of clothing. In a puddle at her feet, both her shorts and tee-shirt laid, leaving her naked from the waist up, as Kelly’s eyes stayed locked on her form. A moment of doubt flashed through her head - that doing this was not such a good idea - but it didn’t last long. When he looked at her the way he had, Sylvie couldn’t help but want him.  
  
She wonders if their baby would have Kelly’s eyes. His smile perhaps.  
  
Though so much about her life is uncertain these days, Sylvie’s mind is quickly calmed by the image of the sweet baby she will have one day. While the thought of being a mother terrifies her completely, she can’t wait to meet her child. When the day comes for them to welcome their son or daughter into the world, it will surely be the best day of Sylvie’s life.  
  
But her and Kelly can’t possibly continue on the way they are. It’s not healthy. They can’t be co-workers who are having a baby together who occasionally slept together when it suits them. It won’t work and doesn’t make much sense. Sylvie doesn’t understand how she managed to go about this relationship so backwards.  
  
Sylvie quickly realizes she won't be working today, as her next shift won’t start until early tomorrow morning. And, honestly, she's thankful for the day off. Not only does her body need the rest, but her mind does too. It's exhausting to try to focus on her job when all she can focus on is the child she carries. A chance to gather her thoughts will do Sylvie a world of good.  
  
In no time at all, Sylvie manages to shower and get ready for the day. She chooses to wear a button-up denim shirt because it's loose-fitting and comfortable. The garment isn’t exactly appropriate for the weather now that the calendar is fast approaching August, but Sylvie doesn't mind. Summer is one of her favorite seasons and for most of the day anyways, she’ll be inside.  
  
Thankfully, some of her nausea has subsided now, allowing Sylvie the chance to actually think about eating breakfast. Eventually, she decides on a bowl of cereal just as Kelly emerges from behind her bedroom door, wearing nothing but his boxers. Sylvie curses underneath her breath at the sight of him. He is so damn attractive and really needs to stop turning her on. It’s distracting and unnecessary.  
  
Shuffling his feet across the carpet, Kelly walks through the living room before meeting her in the kitchen. Rather than watching him or making eye contact, Sylvie takes to pouring herself a cup of tea now that the water has boiled. She's hoping the beverage will soothe her stomach the rest of the way. Not long after, Kelly is leaning back against the counter beside her, his arms crossed over his sculpted chest, making Sylvie nervous that she might spill the hot water all over from the distraction.  
  
Next to her, Kelly scratches at his beard and uses the back of his hand to rub at his eyes, clearly still hazy from just waking up. Being so close to him makes Sylvie nervous, causing her to shake a bit. Feeling on edge, she doesn’t. So rather than struggling to find the right words, Sylvie works to prepare him a drink as well.  
  
Against a nearby window, the patter of raindrops are consistent, the sound seeming louder in contrast with their silence. Though not intentional, Sylvie’s arm grazes Kelly’s and he smirks. She wishes he hadn’t.  
  
Tucking some hair behind her ear, Sylvie steps back, distancing herself from Kelly. "Last night shouldn't have happened.” She hates to be the bearer of bad news, but it's for the best. One of them needs to face the facts and make the responsible decision here. Swallowing the pit in her throat, Sylvie continues. "It was a mistake.” The expression on Kelly’s face quickly makes her second guess her decision to confess any of this. She feels terrible.  
  
With a clenched jaw, Kelly rolls his eyes, frustration etched all over his face. “Don’t say that,” He shakes his head and reaches out for her. Allowing him to grab her hand, Sylvie struggles to maintain her position. "I like you, Brett.”  
  
This was all too intense. Sylvie shouldn’t want him like this. They don't know anything about each other. "It's too complicated.” Quickly, that has become her favorite excuse when it comes time for her to express reasons why they could never be together. Obviously, though a relationship between them may be in the best interest of their child, it would only begin for the wrong reasons. Sylvie never desired a man be interested in her only out of some sort of obligation.  
  
After placing the cup he holds down on the counter, Kelly vanishes from sight in two seconds flat. Back in the kitchen, Sylvie is left to deal with her guilt, now struggling to contain her despair. But before she gets the chance to take all she said back, Kelly is dressed again and rushing out of her apartment, slamming the door behind him.  
  
It’s not long before tears are streaming down Sylvie’s cheeks.


	5. Chapter 5

It's not until the next day that Kelly sees Sylvie again. And for that, he is grateful.  
  
In the time since he stormed out of her apartment, she's called four times. Each time a notification pops onto his cell phone screen, Kelly fights the urge to answer. Part of him knows it's immature to shut her out, to ignore her, but he's pissed. He’s not in the mood for maturity. While he doesn't necessarily enjoy giving her the cold shoulder, Kelly won't apologize for feeling offended by Sylvie's comment. Her words stung and he’s not ready to provide her with the chance to explain herself further just yet. Kelly hates this game they’re playing.  
  
"Are we gonna to do this or what?” Kelly wonders, gesturing towards the closed door of Boden’s office from where they not stand awkwardly in the hallway, cluing Sylvie in to the meaning behind his question. His jaw clenches, turning away from her. He doesn’t want to talk to her and, at the moment, doesn’t care how childish or stubborn that sounds. Though he has no interest in hurting Sylvie, she frustrates him beyond belief and he is tired of acting like her words don’t sting.  
  
They agreed to meet outside of Boden’s office just after six o’clock. Unfortunately, this is a conversation they can no longer avoid. It is their responsibility to make the Chief aware of Brett’s condition as it will affect her capabilities as a paramedic going forward, not that Sylvie will be so quick to slow down. In the month or so that Sylvie has been at 51, Kelly has witnessed first hand the risks she is willing to take to save the life of another. It concerns him to think of the stress she was going to cause him over the next six or so months she will still be cleared to work.  
  
“You’re mad at me.” Sylvie declares all while craning her neck to meet his eyes. He denies this with a shake of his head but Sylvie doesn’t buy it. She can tell he is annoyed. “Then why can’t you look at me?” With a curious expression, she ducks her head to enter his line of vision. Their height difference makes this easy.  
  
But because he’s not interested in providing her with any sort of upper hand, Kelly turns his head and locks his jaw. He can practically feel his heart pounding in his chest and his anger increasing. He doesn't want to do this.  
  
“You’re just gonna have to give me some time.” His words come out more cutting than he intended, but he doesn’t want to tell her want she wants to hear and hates being pushed.

In no way does he blame Brett for the pregnancy as they both made irresponsible choices the first night they spent together, but there's a lot of pressure now. She is looking for answers he does not have.

Sylvie sighs loudly, standing across from him. Her cheeks are red, eyes watering. Mostly, Kelly hates himself for ruining her life. Leave it to him to be the ugly chapter in her story. If he had just left her alone in that bar the night they met, neither of them would be this confused.  
  
But he can’t regret it. He won’t.  
  
Clearing her throat, Sylvie moves around him, moving closer to the Chief’s office. “Are you ready?” She questions, not seeming prepared herself.  
  
It’s not exactly Sylvie’s idea of fun to have to tell her boss of less than two months that not only is she pregnant, but that the father of her baby is one of his Lieutenants. Thinking about this makes Sylvie’s cheeks feel hot. She can't help but hope Kelly does most of the talking once they finally sit in front of Boden. Sylvie feels selfish for assuming this is going to be harder on her. In just a minute or two, Kelly will be telling his mentor about something he might view as a mistake.

Sylvie wants nothing more than to turn back the clock and not have gotten out of bed this morning.  
  
Kelly nods. “After you.” Sylvie’s not sure he realized but his fingertips run across her lower back as they head into the office. She tries not to jump at his touch.  
  
With him following closely behind her, she enters Boden's office after they knock and the Chief acknowledges their presence. There's no turning back now.  
Sylvie can't breathe. Her chest is tight and her stomach hurts. Her eyes burn from all the tears she's shed in this empty locker room. She can’t seem to stop it, as though all of her emotions are pouring out at once, providing her without a chance to compose herself. On one of the empty benches, Sylvie is hunched over, holding her face in her hands, hardly able to believe the mess that is her life.  
  
Suddenly, Sylvie can hear footsteps approaching. They are light, but they're getting close. She is quick to jump up from her seated position to act as though everything is fine. Eventually, Hermann turns the corner and comes to stand beside her. At first, he doesn't say anything. He sort of lingers nearby, his gaze lock on her. Sylvie feels like a bug underneath a microscope, fighting the urge not to squirm.  
  
Sylvie turns her head slowly, effectively revealing her puffy, red eyes to the older man. He sighs, as if sympathetic to the concern he has not been enlightened to yet. In one swift motion, Hermann sits down and pats the seat next to him, prompting her to do the same.  
  
She obliges, rubbing at her eyes all the while. She needs to cling to the dignity she has remaining.  
  
Sylvie likes Hermann. The day he arrived at 51, he’d been one of the first to introduce himself. Simply put, he is one of those people you can’t help but feel good around. In a lot of ways, he acts as a father figure to a lot of the people bustling around the house. Even in the short amount of time Sylvie has worked there, she’s picked up on that. People respect Hermann around here.

At first, they sit in silence and he holds her hand. Sylvie know he is waiting for her to initiate the conversation, but she’s not sure is she’s ready for anyone else to know. But this is just too big of a thing, too huge and life changing for her not to be able to talk about it.  
  
Figuring there is nothing to lose, she caves. “I’m pregnant.” After, Sylvie’s hands fly up to her face, covering her eyes so can’t see his reaction. Part of her isn’t ready for the judgment.  
  
Turning in place, the man wraps her up in a hug, shocking the hell out of Sylvie, causing her to gasp. “Oh, wow! Congratulations!” His voice booms, echoing throughout the empty locker room. Allowing herself this moment, Sylvie sinks into him. It feels good to be happy. The sheer joy on his face warmed her heart. She can't help but feel a sense of gratitude towards him. In a lot of ways, they hardly know each other. Sure, they are co-workers, but she is still a newcomer here and he has gone out of his way to comfort her. “I didn’t realize you were involved with anyone.” Even if it’s not there, Sylvie couldn’t help but feel an accusation laced in his words.  
  
Sylvie blushes and averts his eyes. “Well…technically, I’m not.” Feeling defensive, Sylvie crosses her arms over her chest and chuckles dryly. “I promise I’m not a slut.”  
  
Hermann furrows his eyebrows, appearing genuinely confused by the assumption she’s made. “Oh, no…I wasn’t thinking that at all.” He proceeds to rub his palm up and down the side of her arm. "You’re having a baby."  
  
Smiling tightly, Sylvie nods. “Yeah. I guess I am.” To hear someone else say the words startles her.  
  
Sylvie wondered if Kelly had told anyone else. Aside from Boden obviously. Surprisingly, the Chief was supportive of their strange situation. Since walking out of his office though, Kelly has been no where to be found. In the few seconds it took her to stand from her chair across from Boden, Kelly had shaken his boss hand and darted down the hall, this behavior contributing greatly to the breakdown Hermann walked in on not long ago. Sylvie hated that her and Kelly can’t communicate. Something has to change.  
  
“Brett,” Before long, Hermann speaks again, breaking her out of her trance. She turns to face him, feeling somewhat ashamed of her tears and the emotions connected to them. “I’ve got five children and I love them all with everything I’ve got, but it never gets easier.” He laughs a bit, knowing every one of his words to be true. Sylvie appreciates his attempts at humor. “Each time Cindy told me she was pregnant again, I was just as scared as the first time.” His last words fall off a bit, as though he's remembering the events he speaks so fondly of. If Sylvie knows anything about this man before her, it is that Christopher Hermann is a proud father.  
  
Sylvie can feel her eyes tearing up again. She cocks her head to the left. “Yeah?” She sniffles before raising her fingertips to her lips. A smile grows beneath them.  
  
Without hesitation, he nods. “Of course, there is a lot of responsibility and no matter how prepared you think you are for when that little baby arrives, you’re just not.” Amusing Sylvie, Hermann shrugs nonchalantly. “But those little brats are the best things I’ve ever done...couldn’t imagine my life without them.” With one of his thumbs, he wipes away a tear that lingers by her jaw. After, he pats her thigh in a comforting manner. Eventually, Hermann stands and begins to make his way towards the nearest outlet from the locker room. Before disappearing entirely, he turned on his heel to face Sylvie again. “I know you’re scared, but everything will work itself out."  
  
She is really going to do this. "Okay.” At the end of the day, it didn’t matter much that it's going to be hard and confusing and the most terrifying experience of her life because she is capable of being a mother. In fact, Sylvie is going to be awesome at it. “Thank you” She mouths her gratitude to him from across the room.  
  
“Atta girl” Hermann winks before walking away and Sylvie can feel air in her lungs again.

* * *

When his shift is finally over, Kelly is more than ready to head home.  
  
His muscles ache and his head throbs, a migraine quickly making his presence known. It had been a slow day for Squad 3, having only been called out on a few occasions since he arrived early yesterday morning. Though a lack of calls is a good thing, it left Kelly with too much time to think.  
  
About Shay and missing her. About Sylvie and how much he wants her. Even though it's complicated as hell.  
  
About the baby neither of them expected.  
  
All day, Sylvie has avoided him, changing her direction when she saw him. Though she's subtle about it and no one else around would ever notice, Kelly did. It's driving him insane how distracting Sylvie can be. He wants to be able to talk to her without it being strange or overwhelming. He just wants to spend time with her without one of them screwing it up.  
  
Kelly knows he upset her earlier, when he stormed away after their meeting with Boden. But he had to. All of his nerves and confusion were held at bay until Boden mentioned Shay and how much she would have adored the chance to become an Aunt. It all felt like too much to handle for Kelly and didn’t want to be around anyone when he finally exploded, especially not Sylvie. The last thing she needs right now is to think the father of her child is an emotionally unstable lunatic.  
  
After allowing himself the opportunity to release all of the anger that has been building in recent weeks, Kelly stumbled into the locker room. He has to explain himself to Sylvie, that he hadn't meant to upset her, having no desire to hurt her more than he already has. From around the corner, Kelly can hear her crying, her sobs echoing out into the hallway nearby, breaking his heart. Soon though, he can hear another voice, Hermann’s, working to calm her.  
  
Already, Kelly feels himself becoming tethered to Sylvie. He really does care about her and not just because they shared a bed on two occasions or because they are expecting a child together. It's more than that. Unfortunately, Kelly doesn’t know what to do with those feelings. All of this is really starting to fuck with his head.  
  
Fresh out of the shower, Kelly stands by his car now where it's parked, his stomach turning. Already, he’d been standing here for a while, waiting for Sylvie. In the reflection of his car window, Kelly catches a glimpse of himself. His hair is messy, sticking up in various directions, the dark circles underneath his eyes looking large due to his inability to sleep recently.  
  
Before long, Kelly notices her making her way out of the bay of 51, walking backwards towards him as she finishes a conversation with Otis. Eventually, she turns around, becomes aware of his presence and stops in her tracks, clearly surprised to see him. The smile on her face drops and Kelly hates that. Before she takes another step, Sylvie tucks strands behind her ear and adjusts the strap on her shoulder.  
  
“Didn’t you get off a while ago?” She wonders aloud upon finally making it over to him, though she's yet to make substantial eye contact with him. Kelly nods, paying attention to how nervous she seems. “Did you wait for me?”  
  
He wanted to be honest with her, thinking she needs to know what he has to say.m"The truth is I don't know the first think about being a father. I'm not sure that I'll be a good one.” And suddenly, Kelly feels very self-conscious and overly aware of where they are. He is sure to look around, making sure no one is around to hear this personal conversation. “I’m not a very patient person and it's been years since I changed a diaper. I'm not even sure I remember how to.” Kelly admits, free of shame, figuring honesty is better than painting a false image for her.  
  
After, there's a moment where neither of them move or say anything. To Kelly, Sylvie looks tired and worn down, concerning him. He is tempted to reach out and touch her, to hopefully comfort her. Instead, he throws his hands in his pant pockets.  
  
Sylvie looks down at her fingers as she plays with them, clearly hoping to distract herself. "You don't have to do this. You don’t have to explain yourself to me.” Sylvie dismisses him unintentionally.  
  
Kelly doesn’t believe that for a second. "But I do.” Before speaking again, he makes sure to compose himself. "Because you think I'm gonna walk away. You think I'm gonna get scared and abandon my responsibility in all of this.” Kelly wants to be better than that. Even though he’s never really had a great track record with women, he is not interested in screwing this up. "Sometimes, I say the wrong thing and get myself in trouble. But I mean every word of this. Even if I'm fucking scared, I'm not going anywhere. I am going to be there, for you, and that baby. If there's anything you can count on, it's that."  
  
Sylvie seems to understand. “Okay.” Kelly hopes she appreciates his honesty. He’s never really been one to sugar coat.  
  
Finally, he's able to breathe a sigh of relief and leans in to kiss her cheek. "Okay.” They linger there for a moment and Kelly can feel her lips pull into his smile beneath his own. After he pulls away and there is a bit more space between them, Sylvie attempts to hide her blush. “Could I drive you home?’ He asks, while opening the passenger side door of her car for her.  
  
Without changing her expression, Sylvie nods and Kelly is glad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this is a bit frustrating all the back and forth, but we're getting somewhere.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the stall between chapters. I had a bit of trouble getting this chapter to turn out how I wanted and had to walk away from it for a few weeks. I'm still not entirely pleased with it, but this is better than no post at all. 
> 
> Thank you guys for all the response so far. I know this couple isn't necessarily the most popular, but we don't care. 
> 
> Let me know what you think!

As Sylvie passes by the kitchen of the firehouse, she can smell breakfast being made.  It makes her stomach turn. Eggs and bacon and toast on any other day would sound appetizing, but not recently. For Sylvie, keeping her meals down is starting to feel like a near constant battle, the sort of nausea that comes with morning sickness unlike anything she's ever experienced. In all of the articles and book chapters she's already browsed through, each talk about how every pregnancy differs and how some women don’t experience morning sickness at all and Sylvie hates those women. She would kill for just one day to go by without having to puke. In the coming week, Sylvie hopes the feeling dies down. 

Bypassing the kitchen as quickly as possible, Sylvie rushes through the halls and into the locker room. She passes Hermann and Dawson as she does and both smile at her, asking how her previous evening went. The interactions are pleasant and Sylvie feels so appreciative for the men and women she works with. Though her transition to Chicago has not been without obstacles, she's so thankful for this new phase of her life. Still, Sylvie can’t help but wonder if her dynamic with her co-workers will change once they know about the pregnancy. Though Kelly has already attempted to reassure her against this, she’s not used to being the girl who draws a lot of attention to herself. And this situation most certainly will. Not only is she the new girl here at 51, but she’s having Kelly Severide’s kid. If she was some sort of celebrity, Sylvie is sure this would be considered front page news. 

For a lot of reasons, she's in uncharted territory. 

Soon, she makes it to her locker, but gets distracted before she has the chance to mess with the lock. Emerging from around the corner, Kelly begins to approach where she is, wearing nothing more than a towel around his waist and sandals on his feet. Obviously, he just finished his shower, but goddammit, he really needs to put on a shirt. His hair is a bit messy and his skin is shining, still steaming and wet from the hot water. Sylvie tries - she really does - not to notice his muscles and abs, but the efforts prove futile. She's only human. 

Kelly is unbelievably attractive. Almost too attractive, if such a thing is possible. It’s just not far. He really should some of that with other men around. In all of her life, Sylvie has never encountered someone as handsome as him. He's so tall and strong and rugged, not looking like anyone Sylvie has seen before. Sure, she's pretty enough, but she wouldn’t be so quick to call herself sexy. In the past, Sylvie has been with men who were attractive in their own right, but none compare to Kelly. He's the kind of guy all women want. 

And Sylvie does too. She wants him. She'd have to lie through her teeth to deny that fact. She may be a good girl but that doesn't mean she has to have an innocent mind.

“Good morning.” He greets her, smirking, shaking some of the excess water out of his hair with a separate, smaller towel. 

Sylvie attempts to contain her blush. For goodness sakes, she's seen this man naked twice before and is still blushing? “Morning.” 

For a minute or so, they hover around each other as Kelly messes with his hair and Sylvie needs a few attempts to undo the lock on her locker. Finally, she lifts the handle to open it. Inside, everything looks exactly as it did two days ago at the end of her shift then. But, on the top shelf, there is something new, something unexpected. There’s a folded piece of paper placed between a pack of saltines and gum.  

And without having to ask, Sylvie knows this is Kelly’s doing. On top of being incredibly attractive, she's coming to learn about just how sweet he can be. There are a lot of men who would have refused to accept responsibility for their child, but not Kelly. Not for one second. He hasn’t run away. Not from her or their baby. And it has been awkward and confusing and completely overwhelming, and he has faced every day with her, often with more strength and stability than even she has. 

Sylvie eyes well up with tears. Without saying a word, she turns to face Kelly and he is already staring back at her. He seems a bit taken back by her emotion but recovers nicely. 

"Thank you.” She clears her throat, holding the small note close to her chest.   

He nods, clutching a bottle of deodorant in both his hands. “Sure.” He smiles slightly, and they stand in silence for a long moment. "How are you feeling?” As if he is able to sense some of her nerves, Kelly break the silence while stepping towards her.  

She doesn’t stop to think about how he could have gotten that stuff into her locker. It doesn’t matter anyway. "I'm good.” Sylvie shrugs and turns back to face her locker. It’s not the whole truth. 

Honestly, in the moment, she feels like the small serving of cereal she ate this moment might reemerge. She won’t tell Kelly that though. There are women all over the world going through the same thing Sylvie is. She can do this. A little nausea never killed anyone. 

Then, she catches a glimpse of her phone and realizes she only has three more minutes until her shift starts. That’s just not enough time for her to change, fix her hair, subside her nausea, _and_ finish this conversation. Before she knows it, Sylvie’s attention is drawn back to the towel wrapped around his hips, currently the only thing standing between her and a completely naked Kelly. The thought brings a blush to her cheeks. She still isn’t sure why that is still her response to his attractive figure. They’ve already slept together twice. She’s well aware Kelly is a beautiful man. Of course, that's exactly why Sylvie finds herself running to the toilet every hour without fail these days.  

“I just thought maybe it would help. I heard the nausea is common during the first trimester.” Kelly shrugs and turns back to his locker, taking the cap off of his deodorant in order to apply it. He is speaking about this like it's casual, like it doesn't mean anything. But it does. It means everything to Sylvie. 

“You did? You've been reading?”Sylvie raises her eyebrows and sits down on the bench between their lockers, facing him. Soon, she takes her boots off and changes into a more comfortable pair of sneakers. 

Kelly replaces the cap on his deodorant and returns it to his locker.  "If you want to call it that. Just some browsing on the internet.” Sylvie can tell he’s not one to give himself much credit.

He looks down at her, his hands on his hips. She knows he just got off his shift and that he’ll be heading home soon. Sylvie is grateful to see him this morning and for his support with the food and all. If she wasn’t feeling so sick, she’d even go as far to say that this is the best she’s had since finding out there is a baby, like they are finally making progress and it’ll all be okay. 

“Still…thank you.”  

* * *

Kelly just has to talk to someone about all of this, about this huge, life changing event that was in no way planned. 

He can't stop thinking about Sylvie, about their baby. Ever since he found out she's pregnant, he can’t stop thinking about what will happen next, about whether or not he’ll be any good at this. His guess is no. Before Sylvie and the baby, he’d been so consumed by the sadness that came along with losing Shay. Trying to be okay with not having her around had consumed him. He was crippled by the pain of it, never knowing pain like it before. Everything had gone and gotten so fucked up and before he even got the chance to piece his life back together, Sylvie comes into the picture and shakes his life up again. And now there is a baby. 

Kelly’s head is spinning. He hated feeling this way, so helpless and confused. And keeping all of this information and struggle to himself was making him feel like he was to lose his mind. Sure, he could talk to Sylvie. They're in this together, after all. But it was still weird. He wants to be there for her, to be around when she needs him, but the boundaries for all of this are so undefined, Kelly doesn’t know what’s considered inappropriate. 

He’a not interested in making anything harder for her. More than anything, Kelly wants to be a source of support, not annoyance. Sylvie moved to a new city, started a new job and inherited a whole set of new complications and Kelly has no clue how to help. It's like he is swimming against the tide, without any help or instruction, just left to his own devices, and he’s not sure he won’t drown. 

Not long after leaving 51 and Sylvie in the locker room this morning, Kelly finds himself on Casey’s doorstep. Kelly knew he wouldn’t be home, not yet at least. Casey got off work an hour before Kelly and told the latter he planned to run errands he’s been putting off for weeks. Of course, being a member of the CFD himself, Kelly understands the struggle of limited time outside of the firehouse. When he isn’t working, he spends most his time sleeping or getting drunk. At least he used to. Nowadays, he is more concerned with spending most of his time on the computer, learning all he can about pregnancy and fatherhood. He wants to be prepared, to understand what both of them - himself and Sylvie - are going to experience. In the past, Kelly has been known for his spontaneity, usually the type to act before thinking. Though it has often got him into some trouble, he’s never known anything different. 

Just then, Casey’s car pulls into the driveway and Kelly’s frantic thoughts are interrupted. He's relieved. It's better that he isn’t left alone with them anyway. Soon, the two men find themselves sitting beside each other on the front porch of Casey’s apartment. They sit in silence for a moment as Casey settles into his spot and Kelly taps his leg, frantic, his nerves getting the best of him. 

"Brett's pregnant.” Finally, it happens. He gets it off his chest, the huge news both he and Sylvie have been dealing with on their own. Of course, Boden knows about the baby but that was mostly out of necessity. "And the kid's mine.” 

Surprising Kelly, Casey begins to laugh uncontrollably. Honestly, he isn’t sure how he expected his friend react. This definitely isn’t something you hear on a daily basis. If things were the other way around, Kelly’s not so sure he wouldn't have the same reaction. Of course, the circumstances would be entirely different. Casey is a different person than Kelly, a better man. At least he’s got his shit together, unlike Kelly. Come to think about it, this sort of thing would never happen to Matthew Casey. He is far too responsible for such a thing. 

Eventually, Casey regains his composure and pats Kelly on the shoulder as though it is a knee and this is the best joke he's heard all day. "Good one.” When Kelly doesn’t say anything or admit to joking about the pregnancy, Casey clues in. "Wait...you're not kidding.” His face falls, realizing this is serious. “Holy shit!” He shouts, standing up quickly, his hands thrown out to his sides emphatically. 

Kelly rubs the palms of his hands together and against his thighs, the material of his jeans scratch at his skin. "It's weird, man.” It may not be the best word to describe his and Sylvie’s situation, but it's the first one he finds. "I don’t…I don’t really know what I’m supposed to do.” There is a lot he could say, a lot that goes unsaid, but Kelly doesn’t elaborate, because Casey knows.

Rather than allow his friend to spiral in the negative thoughts Casey knows have to be consuming Kelly’s mind these days, he uses a clever joke to lighten the mood. "My bet is the kid's a girl."

Kelly groans, throwing the palm of his hand to his face, muffling the sound. Casey’s laughter returns. 

* * *

Sylvie has never felt so tired. In all her life, her body has never been as sore as this. Of course, there was that one time in middle school where she flew over the handle bars of her bike trying to impress her crush, Peter, in the park behind their school. It was a while before her wrist recovered from that, but it still doesn't compare to these last few weeks. This first trimester of pregnancy is really kicking her ass. Her head hurts all the time, a constant pounding between her ears makes it really hard to concentrate on…well, anything.

When she gets home from her shift, all Sylvie wants to do is lay down. She just wants to lie down and sleep for as long as possible. Unfortunately, she's also nauseous as hell and feeling like throwing up every few minutes does not exact allow for adequate rest. She wishes the food in her fridge sounded the least bit appetizing and wasn’t so frustrated by how crappy she feels. Pregnancy really is such a magical thing but it’s also awful. It's only been a few weeks since she found out and she already feels like a different person entirely, like a stranger in her own body, having to adapt to all of these new aches and pains and emotions. And there are still so many weeks - months - to go. 

Just then, a wave of nausea washes over her, stopping her dead in her tracks. Feeling a bit lightheaded, both from the sickness and the lack of food she's consumed today, Sylvie reaches out for the closest thing she could lean against. Her kitchen counter will have to suffice. A moment passes before she feels right again. It is only after she opens her eyes and takes a breath before she notices the wrapper sticking out of her purse where he lays in front of her. Reaching out, she grabs it and pulls the pack of crackers out onto the counter. There’s also a small bottle of Ginger Ale somewhere in that bag, but Sylvie doesn’t have a second thought before opening the wrapper and shoving a cracker into her mouth. It’s as though she hasn’t eaten in years and that this cracker is her only opportunity at survival. 

When she reaches for another cracker and looks to bring the package along with her to the couch, a paper falls out from under it and lands on the ground before Sylvie has the chance to grab it. The piece of paper isn't big, but she hasn’t seen it before. Bending down to pick up the paper from where it sits at her feet, Sylvie flips the piece of paper open with her fingers and reads what's written inside:  

_Feel better._

_Call me if you need anything._

-Kelly

It’s not much. In fact, it’s almost nothing at all. But it’s sweet,  _so_ sweet. Tucking Kelly’s note into her back pocket, Sylvie smiles and takes another bite of her cracker.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a monster! It's over 6,000 words in total and I am so incredibly proud of it. Also, I so appreciate everyone that has left a comment, kudos, or bookmarked this story. Keep them coming! 
> 
> Warning: There is some mention of miscarriage in this chapter. I don't suggest reading if that is a topic that makes you uncomfortable.

Sylvie knows this paperwork is important. She really does. There are deadlines to meet and work to be done, but she's having the hardest time concentrating today. All morning, she's been feeling strange. Of course, the nausea associated with morning sickness has yet to dissipate but this is different. It feels different. There is a pain in her stomach this is dull but present. Sylvie tries not to make much of it, tries not to worry. In the first trimester of pregnancy, this sort of thing is normal for some woman. She’s read about it online, about how the pain is common as a women’s uterus adjusts to the demands of growing a baby. That’s all this is. Sylvie is sure of it.  

Only a few minutes ago both her and Dawson were called into Chief Boden’s office for their required monthly meeting. In them, the trio often discuss inventory of supplies and such. Though this is only Sylvie’s second meeting of the kind, she didn’t expect it to last long. After it concludes, she hopes she will finally be able to get food in her belly today and might start to feel better. Ideally, she’ll get to take a nap. Realistically, Sylvie knows there’s only a small chance of that happening. She's so behind on paperwork and needs to make use of any spare time she has between calls. 

Beside her, Dawson sits, diligently updating her report from a scene they attended just a few hours earlier. Sylvie has almost told her about the pregnancy a few times, knowing it would be best if she did since they are partners in this. They may not be best friends, but Dawson needs to know Sylvie will have certain limitations going forward. There just never seemed to be a good time, never knowing how to bring it up or start that conversation. Still, eventually, it will have to happen. She may only be eight weeks along now, but before she knows it, Sylvie will blink and she won’t be able to see her toes anymore.  

Neither speaks as they wait for the Chief to make his appearance. He's down the hall somewhere reminding Otis of something. He’d told them to wait just a few minutes while he did so. She tried to listen to him as he spoke but hadn’t managed to retain any of the information.   

Sylvie respects Boden. He's still the only person at 51 - outside of Hermann - who knows about her and Kelly and...their situation. Boden knows and has yet to treat her any differently, like she might break or suddenly be incompetent at her job. She doesn't even know how to begin to thank him for that. 

More than anything, Sylvie wants to prove herself at 51 and won’t allow anything to prevent that from happening. She’s not stupid though. She knows she is pregnant, meaning she’ll have to be more careful than normal and she’s okay with that. But from the beginning of time, pregnant women have been getting shit done and Sylvie has no plans to sit on her ass for the next seven months. She doesn't have the attention span for that anyway. She’d get too bored. There isn’t enough on television to occupy that kind of time. 

Leaning forward in her chair, Sylvie sits by the edge of Boden’s desk, pen in hand as she attempts to fill out the questions the paper in front of her asks. Dawson is doing the same beside her but is leaning back, her clipboard propped up on her knee. Neither speak. 

It was then that Sylvie gasps. A sharp and sudden pain takes her by surprise, causing her to lose her grip on the pen she holds. It falls out of her hand and it rolls onto the floor. The pain had been like a lightning strike, like a bullet shot out of a gun. It only lasted a second but had been enough to capture Sylvie’s attention. Bracing herself against the desk with her hand, the other finds the armrests of her chair. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Dawson look up and away from where she works in her lap. Her eyes are wide and curious. She looks concerned and confused. 

“Are you okay?” Dawson asks, unfolding her legs and placing both her clipboard and pen on the desk in front of them. She turns her body to face Sylvie but doesn't quite reach out to touch her. 

A moment passes where Sylvie doesn't feel a thing. It felt like time stood still. She is scared to move, as though that may cause the pain to happen again. She is scared to move, scared to breathe. The pain had come and gone so quickly, it was almost as though it never happened at all. Taking a deep breath, Sylvie convinces herself she is okay. They are both okay. Everything is going to be okay. 

She nods, downplaying Dawson’s concern in response to Sylvie’s sudden outburst. “Yeah. I just haven’t been feeling that well.” She’s not lying, having been feeling off most of the day. But it's okay now. She is okay. 

Dawson doesn't look so sure.  

Brushing some of the hair that had fallen into her face away, Sylvie leans back a bit and adjusts herself in her seat. She just needs to eat. Her stomach is upset and that’s what is making her feel weak. That makes perfect sense and this is nothing to worry about. She's probably just dehydrated and that must be what is causing the cramps. She's a paramedic, Sylvie knows these kinds of things.  

When another wave of pain comes, she groans. It's worse this time, the pain more central to her lower abdomen this time. Sylvie leans forward again, her right hand moving to hold onto her stomach. She bites on her bottom lip to muffle the sound she makes. She tries to take in deep, calming breaths but they were short and labored now. Panic has set in. There’s no way this is morning sickness or dehydration.  

Dawson jumps out of her chair, grabbing at Sylvie’s bicep, as though urging her to stand. “Okay, let’s go. We’re gonna get you checked out.”

Sylvie shakes her head adamantly and doesn’t move an inch otherwise. She’s not sure she could even if she wanted. She's terrified she knows what this is, hardly a fool. Sylvie is well-aware there’s a high risk of miscarriage in the first twelve weeks of pregnancy, happening without rhyme or reason sometimes. In the two weeks or so since she’s known about the baby, Sylvie has tried not to pay attention to those type of articles as she scrolled through the internet. She’s been taken the prenatal vitamins she was given at the hospital, getting as much sleep as her schedule permits and has cut out all sorts of caffeine. 

Dawson kneels down in front of her chair, meeting her gaze. Her hand grabs a hold of Sylvie’s. It is something tangible and real, a comfort in this moment of panic and the unknown. “Sylvie. I know.” 

The other woman speaks but Sylvie doesn’t understand. What did she know? Then, Dawson raises her eyebrows and waits, directed her line of sight to Sylvie’s stomach. But it’s not possible. Gabby couldn’t possibly know about the pregnancy. Outside of Boden, her and Kelly haven't told anyone. It is still too early and confusing for them to be sharing the news with everyone at 51. Sylvie knows she hasn’t spoken a word about any of this, except for Hermann.  

“Kelly told Matt.” Dawson clarifies.  

Sylvie doesn't have time to consider the magnitude of another individual knowing before she whimpers in pain again, tears flowing freely down her cheeks now, hands shaking. She didn’t realize she was squeezing the one Dawson holds until Gabby squeezes back. Sylvie is glad she’s not alone. She can barely think, barely breathe. She has no idea what she's supposed to do. 

“Something’s wrong.” Sylvie cries, her words slipping out as a whisper. 

Behind them, the door to the office opens and the Chief enters. Sylvie is turned away from him but could pinpoint the moment he notices Dawson’s tense nature. He was speaking when he entered the room but stopped quickly, cutting himself off in the middle of his sentence. 

Dawson rose to her feet, her free hand coming to rest on Sylvie’s shoulder. “She’s in pain, Chief.” Gabby informs him, her voice cracking a bit when she does. As if on cue, Sylvie cries out in pain again. “We’ve got to get her to the hospital.” 

This isn't happening. She is so scared, of being alone, of being pregnant, of having this chance to be mother taken away from her. “Where’s Kelly? I need Kelly.” She sobs as both Gabby and Boden help her stand. 

* * *

Kelly has never been a fan of summertime in Chicago.  

For one, the sun and humidity make fighting fires and making rescues that much more difficult. It's already early September now and the temperature are still in the eighties on a daily basis. Though Kelly has been a member of the CFD for years now and has grown accustomed to the endurance this job requires, the additional heat works quickly to exhaust them all. He can see a few of his men essentially chugging bottles of water across the street, all dripping with sweat. About thirty minutes ago, Squad 3 was called out to an apartment fire out on Princeton. The rescue hadn’t been anything too out of the ordinary or difficult, but Kelly feels like he’d just run a marathon, now walking away from the building and towards the front of the rescue truck. Pulling his helmet off in order to begin to cool himself down, he clutches the equipment beneath his arm. Pieces of his hair stick to his forehead. Kelly really needs a shower.  

“Lieutenant.” Capp calls out to him, hanging out of the door of the truck, his arm braced through the open window. Kelly looks up from his hands as he works to remove his gloves. “Your phone’s been ringing. You’ve got a couple missed calls.”  

Kelly furrows his eyebrows. Who would be calling him at this hour? He doesn’t even think to ask Capp if his phone reads the name of the caller. Waving his hand at him, Kelly catches his phone when it is thrown to him. Just as he adjusts it in his grip to look at the screen right, it begins to ring. 

It’s Dawson, but Kelly doesn’t understand why she would be calling. She’d been at 51 when Squad was alerted to a call. He’d seen her out there in the bay of the firehouse with Sylvie this morning.  

Kelly’s ringer is turned off, but he can still feel the vibration of his phone in his hand. He leans over and sits down on the front bumper of the truck, sighing with relief at how good it feels to sit down. Bringing the device to his ear, he answers the call. “Severide.”

“Kelly, where are you?!” Gabby sounds panicked, rushing her words out on the other side of the line. 

He is especially confused now. “I’m out on Princeton. We’ll be heading back soon.” He scratches at his face, his facial hair now itchy as beads of sweat drip down his face. Keeping a full beard through most of the summer hadn’t been his smartest decision, but he couldn’t bring himself to shave it fully, not since Sylvie mentioned a fondness for it.  

“No!” Dawson shouts, interrupting his train of thought. “Get to Chicago Med.”

Her instructions are clear and sharp. None of this is making sense. “What? Why?” Just then, Capp joined him at the front of the truck, standing there with his hands on his hips, watching Kelly with concern. Kelly can feel his heart start to race, now desperate for answers.  

“It’s Brett." 

The answer he gets makes his heart plummet into his stomach. He probably could have thrown up. What the hell is going on? This isn’t right. Sylvie is fine. He’d seen just a little while ago and she seemed okay then, albeit a bit tired. But she is pregnant and Kelly has heard that the first trimester is often the worst, with the sickness and exhaustion and all. In recent days, she’d complained of not feeling well a few times but assured him it was nothing out of the ordinary. She’s felt nauseous on a near constant basis for going on two weeks now, leaving Kelly to feel terrible for her misery. Of course, he’d given her the soda and crackers she appreciated, but what was that in the grand scheme of things. 

Kelly knows the expression on his face must have changed seeing as Capp moves towards him, clued in to the fact that something is wrong. Kelly doesn’t wait for Dawson to explain any further or ask to know what’s happening, scared of what he might learn. He knows Gabby and Sylvie weren’t called to a scene since he left 51. He would have heard it over the radio. She is fine. She has to be.   Their baby is fine and none of this is happening. While the pregnancy had been anything but planned, that doesn't mean Kelly is not completely invested in the child he and Sylvie created. He already loves him or her so much. It's unlike any other love he’s ever known and they weren’t even born yet. 

Sylvie is probably scared out of her mind right now. Kelly hates thinking that she is alone, dealing with this. Obviously, Dawson is with her to some capacity, but they’re not really friends. Not in any way that counts. She is alone and that is Kelly’s fault. Even in her earliest days that 51, Kelly alienated her, too caught in losing Shay to pay much attention to what Brett is going through. They have yet to talk about it, but he knows she knows about how hard he’d taken Shay’s death. And then there she was, the same women that he slept with steps in as his best friend’s replacement. It makes Kelly crazy. For a long time, rather than deal with her presence in his life, he ignored it.

But there is a baby now. Sylvie has to know Kelly will do whatever he can to make sure nothing ever happens to her or their child. 

He drops the phone from his ear into his pocket and jumps up from his seated position and in to action. Without saying much, Kelly directs his men into the truck and towards the hospital. Having lived in this city his entire life, he knows it will less than ten minutes to arrive. Kelly is sure he doesn’t breathe then entire time. 

* * *

Kelly can’t find Sylvie quick enough. He rushes out of the rescue truck before it even fully stops outside the front of the emergency room at Chicago Med. Having discarded most of his gear during the drive over, he's now able to move as quickly as he liked. Dawson meets him in the waiting room, standing from her chair at the sight of him. Kelly needs to know where Sylvie is now. He doesn’t want her to be alone. 

Immediately, Kelly can tell Gabby is nervous, not even able to keep her hands still, picking at her nails incessantly. Kelly knows she knows about the baby, not even stopping to question how she found out or how long she’s known. All he does know for sure is that he’ll have to talk to Matt about the art of keeping secrets. 

Behind Dawson sits Boden and Casey, both of them bouncing their legs. All of their nervous body language is doing little to help Kelly’s panic. This seems bad. It seems really bad, but Kelly refuses to allow his thoughts to think about the worst option here. 

“What happened? Where is she?” At this point, he's short of breath and frantic. His throat burns, now forced to rely on quick breaths for oxygen. Standing behind him, Capp places a hand on his shoulder. 

Dawson points, giving him the instructions Kelly needs. Without another word, now possessing the knowledge he’s been so desperate for, he rushes off in the opposite direction. All around him, there are patients and family members of patients lingering. Kelly isn’t a religious man, but he makes sure to say a prayer as he approaches Sylvie’s examination room. He can hardly remember the last time he prayed, definitely not since before Shay died. Considering how that all turned out, Kelly tries to convince himself that one is not like the other and that all he can do is have faith. He has to believe there is someone looking out for Sylvie and the baby she carries. 

Now more than ever, Kelly misses his best friend. In times of tragedy and heartbreak, Shay was there. She was always better with this kind of thing, knowing just what to do. He’s only known about the baby for two weeks, but not a day passes where he doesn’t wish he could talk to Leslie about how absolutely terrifying this whole situation is for him. He’s completely scared out of his mind, feeling unprepared for all of this. And now there's a chance all of his worry has been in vain, a thought that scares him more than anything. If they lost the baby, Kelly isn’t sure he’d make it through. 

Finally, he finds the room Dawson mentioned and pauses outside it. Making sure he stands where Sylvie wouldn’t yet be able to see him, Kelly tries to catch his breath, to regain his composure. Running his hands over his face, he can feel the worried experience on his face. No matter what he is about to walk in to, Kelly has to be there for Sylvie, because she is likely feeling double the fear. He will put his panic aside and be what she needs.  

Whether he is ready or not, Kelly opens the door and walks into the room. In the center of it, there is a bed where Sylvie lays. She's already wearing one of the hospital’s gown and is hooked up to an IV. For a while, he lingers by the door. She looks dazed, her eyes red and swollen from crying. She's biting at her knees and staring straight ahead, as though she never heard him enter. 

Sylvie is a small girl normally. Kelly would know, having held her beneath him once. He knows just how small she truly is. But in this bed, drowning in the shapeless fabric of the hospital gown, she looks like a little girl, desperate for good news to brighten one of her worst days. Kelly hopes this does not turn out to be one of them. 

He takes a step closer and finally, she appears to come back to reality. Her eyes grow wide and look his way. Kelly can tell she's trying to hold it all together, her eyes glazed over with tears. He hates that she feels the need to hide her emotions around him. They’re supposed to be in this together. 

Before Kelly got the chance to say a word, to comfort her, to make this alright for her, someone enters the room behind him. It is a doctor. Kelly figures that out quickly at the sight of scrubs and a lab coat. The man walks around Kelly and comes to stand beside Sylvie, a chart in hand. Kelly finally catches up to all that is going on and walks towards them, standing on the opposite side of the bed. Without much thought, he grabs one of Sylvie's hands and holds it tight. Sylvie gasps but recovers nicely. She even smiles somewhat. It’s not  much, but it worked to calm some of Kelly’s nerves.  

“Okay, Miss. Brett…” Dr. Peters, as inscribed on the right side of his lab coat, starts to speak, looking through the papers in Sylvie's chart. They both wait for his next words, as they will reveal to them whether or not Sylvie is miscarrying. “All of your test results look good.” It's the good news they’ve been waiting for. Kelly can feel Sylvie’s grip on his hand tighten. Behind him, there is a chair. Without letting go of her hand, Kelly grabs it and pulls it up the bed and sits down there. “I know this can be a bit of a scare so we’re gonna take a look just to double check how this baby is doing.” The older man, looking to be in his fifties, removes his lab coat and places his chart on a countertop nearby.

He rolls a machine that is already in the corner of the room over. Sylvie lifts her gown as instructed, both her underwear and a blanket concealing her modesty from the waist down. As Dr. Peters prepares his equipment, Kelly’s attention is drawn to Sylvie’s stomach. There’s not much to see yet. He wonders if that’s normal. 

After what feels like years, it is explained to them that Sylvie is dehydrated. She’d been right about that. Because of her extensive morning sickness, her body is running on fumes, causing the cramps. The IV attached to her arm makes more sense to Kelly after that explanation. There are giving her fluids and will monitor for just a few hours before she can be released.  

Kelly can see the relief on Sylvie’s face. It is the relief he can feel deep in his bones. 

From now on, she’ll be drinking plenty of water. That’s for damn sure. This day has already taken ten years off of his life and he’s interested in going through something like this again. 

Before long, Dr. Peters detects the baby’s heartbeat. Like a racehorse galloping, the sound of it echoes throughout the room and the sound is incredible, unlike anything Kelly has ever heard. He can feel tears forming in his eyes. This is real. They are having this baby together and everything is going to be okay.

Sylvie tries to contain her crying. She really does. But at the first sight of the baby on the screen and the sound of its’ heartbeat, she can feel herself fill with emotion. Throwing her free hand over her mouth, she attempts to muffle some of the sound her cry makes. It doesn’t work. This is not a cry of sadness as it had been just a few hours earlier. This is one of happiness. Just five minutes ago, she was expecting the worst, expecting to leave this hospital devastated. Sylvie had truly believed that this was all going to be over, that her and Kelly were going to lose their baby without ever getting the chance to know it. 

Pulling her hand close, Kelly kisses the top of it. She turns her head from where it rests on her pillow and smiles at him. Her smile is so amazing and genuine, Kelly can feel his pulse quicken.   Leaning into her, he pushes a stray hair off of her cheek and kisses her forehead. She laughs and cried some more. Kelly can’t think of a more incredible sound. 

* * *

Kelly makes sure to bring her to the firehouse to grab her bag and change of clothes after she is released from the hospital. At first, she resists, not wanting him to feel as though he has to take care of her. He hates that she thinks he doesn’t want to do this. After all, she is pregnant with her kid. They're in this together. Whether she likes it or not, Kelly is going to be around and not out of obligation. This is something he wants to do. There is no other place he wants to be but here with her. 

They are both in desperate need of a shower, today having been the one from hell. Being able to wash away any remnants of it from their bodies would be welcomed. Kelly can't wait to change out of the clothes he is wearing and into something more comfortable. For longer than she intended, Sylvie lays on the bench between their lockers, absolutely exhausted. There is no one else around, the firehouse largely silent since most of their friends have left for the night and replaced by others who cover different shifts.  

Kelly grabs his toiletry bag from out of his locker and sits on the bench by her head. “You want to clean yourself up?” He asks, already knowing the answer to his question. She nods but doesn’t readily move to stand.

For a long, extended moment, their eyes remain locked. She stares straight up at him, neither making the first move to change their positions. His palm finds the top of her head and runs it over her hair. Slowly, she closes her eyes, appearing calmed by this. Kelly watches as one of her hands moved from where it dangled off the bench to rest on her stomach. 

Eventually, Kelly stands and reaches his hand out to her. Without much hesitation, she puts her hand in his and follows him towards the shower area of the locker room. His thumb strokes the skin of her palm. Kelly walks up to one of the shower curtains and pulls it open, throwing his toiletry bag inside. Next, he moves to the shower stall beside the original one he opened and reveals it from behind the curtain as well. Grabbing a towel from nearby, he places it on the hook for when she is done and turns to where she stands by the sinks. 

The bags under her eyes are heavy and her hair is messy, pieces having fallen out of the band at the nape of her neck hours ago. Still, she looks like the most beautiful women in the world to Kelly. She looks so small and tired standing there, her arms crossed over her chest. Kelly can hear his heart pounding in his ears. This feels a lot like a standoff. Neither one of them speak or move for a few seconds until she does, shocking the hell out of him. Sylvie bypasses the stall Kelly opened for her and slowly moves into the one he stands near. He practically had to pick his jaw up from off the floor. 

She stands in the middle of the shower and waits, staring back at him with wide, unsure eyes. She’s made a bold move here but seems to already be second guessing the decision when he initially hesitates to join her. Kelly is stunned silent and still. He hadn’t known what to expect when he brought her back here. Certainly, it hadn't been this. He couldn’t help it that it took his brain a few moments to catch up. And then it clicks. What is he doing standing out here when she is standing over there? This is a beautiful woman who is pregnant with his child and they still don’t have the slightest clue as to what happens next. But he definitely isn’t about to leave her standing there alone for one more second. 

Two long steps later and they are face to face. Sylvie reaches down to take off her shoes and socks before throwing them outside of the shower, ensuring they wouldn’t get wet and stood by as he proceeded to do the same. She's staring up at him and he watches as her eyes scan his face. He wants to kiss her but wouldn’t. This isn’t bout what he wants. 

For a second, Kelly thinks she’ll leave, realizing she doesn’t want to be here, with him. He stands and waits, leaving all of this up to her. But it doesn’t happen. Instead, she meets his gaze again. Feeling like someone punched him in the gut, Kelly can see the tears in her eyes now, all of the emotions from the day coming to the surface. 

Sylvie nods once. It is lazy and not followed by any further explanation, but Kelly knows its meaning. Without breaking their eye contact, he reaches his hand out and closes the shower curtain fully, blocking them off from the rest of the world. Due to the limited space of the shower, only inches separate their bodies and Kelly can feel her breath on his neck. 

Sylvie’s mind is racing. She can not believe she's standing in the shower opposite of him even though she’d been the one to start this. Sylvie was the one to be bold, the one to make the first move, not wanting to be alone. She wants this, to be close to him. 

But Sylvie doesn’t care to explain herself. Not now anyway. She doesn’t want to talk about today, about how different their day could have ended. She just wants to be here, right here in this moment with him. She feels sick again but not because of the pregnancy. Moving her arms from her sides, she places her hands on his chest and settles her head into his hand when it comes to rest on her check. Slowly, her hands move down his body, coming to a halt by his waist and her hips. Without hesitation, Sylvie grabs the hem of her shirt and pulls it over her head. At first, she’s not sure if she will regrets the action. As if sensing her nerves, Kelly pulls her into him and kisses her temple. It’s all feels so tender and comforting. There is air in her lungs again. 

Before long, they are both naked, standing in the aftermath of their discarded clothing. A rush of air moves through where they stand, causing Sylvie to shiver. Reaching around her, Kelly turns the faucet to the shower on. Seconds later, water streams out of the shower head, spraying over them both. At first, it was cold, needing a moment to warm up before it would be comfortable to stand in, but neither make of mention of that. Soaking both her face and hair completely, Sylvie closes her eyes and leans her head back. The remnants of any makeup she applied earlier ran down her cheeks, leaving streaks of black mascara on her face. Still, she looks beautiful. Kelly wants to tell her that. 

Reaching into the toiletry bag he brought into the shower earlier, Kelly squeezes some of his shampoo into his hands and runs it through her hair. It didn’t feel strange or awkward or inappropriate. It feels perfectly normal, as though they’ve done this countless times before. Kelly has no doubt about it, this is the most intimate moment of his entire life. And it’s not sexual in any way. They saw their baby today, had heard its’ heartbeat for the first time and it felt like a turning point, like they’re finally beginning to understand each other. 

He runs his fingers her through her hair, washing the shampoo out of it as best he could. She had turned around just a moment before, her back now facing him. Her head is bowed, her eyes watching as the soapy water heads for the drain. Sylvie looks so small standing in front of him, probably a foot shorter than Kelly is. Once he is confident all of the shampoo is gone, Kelly pulls all of her hair together and places it gently over her shoulder before grabbing her shoulder and squeezes them. A stream of water still rushes down between them. 

“You’re not alone.” His words are low and whispered, but spoken with enough conviction to ensure Sylvie believes them. He needs her to believe him. 

Turning to look him directly in the eyes, Sylvie nods. She does know. Now so more than ever. 


	8. Chapter 8

Kelly knows Sylvie is tired. When she first started feeling pain this afternoon and was rushed to the hospital, she'd already been halfway through her thirty-hour shift. Both mentally and physically, she is exhausted, Kelly can tell. But before she can go home and rest, there's something they have to do. Together. 

After they got out of the shower at 51 and were dressed, they agreed. They can't delay this any longer. It's time for them to tell everyone that Sylvie is pregnant and that Kelly is the father. Obviously, they know there will be questions, that all of this information won’t make sense to them at first. Hell, the two of them still don't have all of the answers. But those questions will have to wait for another day. Kelly just wants wants to make sure everyone knows, especially after all that happened today. For his own sanity, he needs to make sure Sylvie will be taken care of in the future, even if he’s not the one available to look after her. He never again wants to get a phone call like the one he got from Dawson today.  

Sylvie knows this is the right thing to do. She knows they have to tell everyone at 51 about the pregnancy and, deep down, this feels like the best time to do so. It might still early, considering she’s  only nine weeks pregnant, but in their line of work, there will be situations going forward where she has to be especially careful in their line of work. And even if she doesn’t love the idea of slowing down, she will. Just as long as their baby is healthy and safe.

Without a doubt, today had been one of the scariest days of Sylvie’s life. Without a doubt, she knows that to be true. Up until nine hours ago, in terms of fear, she had been convinced nothing would beat the day she found she was pregnant. There had just been so much confusion and overwhelming emotion. To some extent, there still is, but it’s different now. The day she left Fowlerton to Chicago also ranked near the top of her list. Of course, it isn't lost on Sylvie that the most emotional and worrying days of her life have all happened within the last few months. Here in Chicago, she is completely out of her comfort zone.  

Sylvie is a country girl, from a town with way less people than this huge city. In the past, she has settled down and was okay with it. Once upon a time, she’d done exactly that with Harrison. He was comfortable and safe. Sylvie understood their relationship and was well aware that it wouldn’t be all that exciting if she stayed in it. And for a period of time, that was okay for her. Because she loved him and he was what she had always known. And for a bit, it hadn’t matter that they lost their spark. It didn’t matter that she wasn’t in love with him anymore. Sure, Sylvie had still loved Harrison, a part of her always would. But it wasn’t the same towards the end.  

So, she left. The guy and the town. Of course, it didn’t happen overnight. But it certainly came as a shock to everyone she knew back in Fowlerton. She knows Harrison will never forgive her from walking away from their relationship, just as most of her family couldn’t understand her reasoning for abandoning the only home she’s ever known. But they didn’t have to understand. Because her move wasn’t about them or what they thought is best for her. Sylvie grew tired of being safe and comfortable, having done that her whole life. Everyone she’d ever known has saw her as the good girl, as the girl who never broke the rules. So, she decided to do exactly what no one ever expected her to do. It hadn’t been so much of a calculated decision as much as it was done on impulsive. She uprooted her entire life and left, without putting much thought into it. 

But it hasn’t been easy. It’s been anything but, pregnancy or not. All at once, living and working in Chicago has been exciting and life-changing and exhausting. And she wouldn’t change a thing. Because, if Sylvie never chose to leave Fowlerton, so many aspects of her life as she knows it now would have never came to be. There would be no job at 51, a job she loves, as challenging as it can be at times. There would also be no baby. Instead, she would be well on her way to a miserable marriage, having never known anything outside of Indiana.  

And, of course, if Sylvie never left, she would've never met Kelly. And the feelings that thought brings confuse her more than anything, as complicated as their relationship currently is. Only an hour ago, they stood in a shower together and it wasn’t strange. She still can’t believe she instigated that moment at all. Sylvie isn’t sure she’s ever been so bold around a man before. But she doesn’t regret it, just like she can’t bring herself to regret their first night together. In life, everything happens for a reason. She truly believes that, even if it's hard sometimes.  

She knew this would happen eventually. That doesn’t mean she isn’t nervous as her and Kelly stand outside of Molly’s, moments away from revealing the biggest part of both of their lives to everyone at 51. Most nights, most of the firehouse ends up here, and that is especially true tonight considering it's a Saturday. Sylvie wonders what their reactions will be. At 51, she is still the new girl and Kelly, though well-respected among his colleagues, is the firehouse’s resident playboy. Sylvie isn’t stupid. She’s heard stories of Kelly’s less than monogamous ways before, mostly from people at 51 who are still completely unaware that the two of them have ever been involved. Obviously, she knows they will be shocked to learn that not only had her and Kelly been intimate but had also conceived a child. Sometimes, Sylvie can’t believe these things herself. 

Sylvie knows Kelly can sense her nerves. He keeps watching her and touching her, as though she might breakdown at any moment, so mentally and physically drained from the day. Just hours ago, they sat in the emergency room, waiting for news about the immediate future of her pregnancy. And it had been terrifying. But now, as they stand in front of Molly’s on the other side of town, it feels like a lifetime ago. 

Just as Kelly moves to walk up the front steps of the bar to open the door, Sylvie hesitates, not immediately following. At the bottom of the stairs, she pauses and chews at her lip. This is insane. She can't do this. For just a little while longer, she wants to live in her bubble, a bubble where only her and Kelly - and now Casey and Boden and Dawson - know about the baby. In that world, it’s easier. 

At the top of the stairs, as if sensing her absence by her side, Kelly turns on his heel and backtracks, coming to stand in front of her once again. And then he moves in and kisses her. It feels like magic, like this is what they should be doing all the time. Her hands wrap around his forearms as his hands come to her neck. His thumb lies behind the curve of her ear and gets tangled in her hair. His beard scratches against her cheek, tickling her. She is reminded of the night they met and how she loved the feeling of his facial hair on her skin. What could she say? She’s a simple girl. 

It is impossible not to be consumed by Kelly. He is so handsome and intoxicating and Sylvie may be hooked. She used to be better at resisting boys like Kelly. No, not boys. Kelly is a man. He’s proven that to her on countless occasions. Still, this kiss only works to confuse her further. They're making out now? What are they doing making out outside of Molly’s? Only five hours ago, they were in a hospital room worried they were going to lose their baby and now they're making out. Sylvie’s brain can't keep up.

In the past, she had been the type of girl who was interested in labels and understanding the boundaries of her relationships. She isn’t good with gray areas and wavering outlines. They make her uncomfortable. She's much better with answers to her questions and clear explanation of what the hell they are doing. But this is different. Especially with the baby and all. She’s been too scared to ask Kelly how he feels about her. Maybe it's the possibility of rejection that keeps her from doing so. Or maybe it's the exact opposite. Because even if he is remotely interested in a real, romantic relationship with her, Sylvie wouldn’t even know what something like that would look like. They’re essentially strangers still. Considering her heart skips a beat each time Kelly touches her, she knows there is no going back. Her heart has already fallen, clearly a much less logical organ than her brain. 

Kelly is kissing her now and it has to mean something. Unless he's the type of guy who goes around hooking up with anything that has a pulse. How could he want her? Sure, she's currently pregnant with his child and seems to have every intention to stick around and help, but maybe he only sees her as some sort of incubator. 

And then the moment is over. The thought of actual childbirth is enough to do that. She pulls back from Kelly, but he doesn’t seem too bothered by the action. Quickly, she regains her composure and waits for some kind of sign from him as to what they do next. It's a good thing that Kelly then grabs her hand and lead her up to the front door of Molly’s, reaching to open the door for them. She is glad he takes this initiative, or else they might’ve never made it inside. 

Once inside, a bell or something alerts everyone inside to their presence  All eyes are on them soon enough. Behind the bar, both Dawson and Hermann look up, having been in the middle of making  drinks. Scattered around, at tables and the bar, Sylvie can see Casey, Otis, Cruz, Mills, and Capp among others. She wonders how much they know. Obviously, Boden knows about the pregnancy because her and Kelly told him. Casey knows because Kelly told him before he then went on to tell Dawson. Sylvie doesn't blame Kelly for spilling the beans. After all, it was a huge secret.

Until now. 

Before she's even aware he’d done it, Kelly has gathered everyone over to one side of the bar. Sylvie can feel her stomach drop into her belly. There’s no delaying this moment. It’s happening. A few of them rubs her shoulder and give her genuine smiles. Of course, they all know she spent much of the day in the hospital, but didn’t know why. Most of them were around when Dawson and Boden helped her out of his office and into Ambo 61. She couldn’t possibly begin to describe how strange it felt to be the patient instead of the paramedic. She’s not used to not having the control.

Most of the time, Sylvie knows what is going on, knows what she can do to fix it if there was a way. But not today. Today, she had put herself in the shoes of those she treats on a daily basis. And she hated the ride. 

“Brett and I are having a baby.” And there it is. Kelly’s voice sounds sure, more ready for this than Sylvie feels. "She's pregnant.” He stands with such confidence beside her, as though he’s just told them all the color of his hair, rather than this life-changing news. 

In no time at all, it feels as though they had moved from the front door of Molly’s to this moment on the opposite side of the bar, both her and Kelly waiting on the reaction of their friends. Well, Kelly’s friends. They're Sylvie’s acquaintances mostly. She hasn’t quite made it into the friend territory with them quite yet. And then Hermann’s arms wrap around her and Sylvie isn't sure she cares anymore. 

His excitement radiates through his hug. Of course, Hermann has known about the pregnancy, but was never told Kelly is the father. And he seems delighted by the news, elated by this development in their lives. Sylvie thinks she might cry. It feels so nice to have someone else know all the details and to welcome it. While it's certainly not the most conventional way to have a child, both her and Kelly have accepted the fact and are prepared to do this. No matter the confusion or circumstances. 

Out of the corner of her eye and over Hermann’s shoulder, Sylvie sees Kelly’s smirk when Capp pats his shoulder, the latter smiling wide as well. Somewhere in the distance, she could even hear Casey cheering. Sylvie doesn’t know what she expected. A lot of questions for sure, but all of the excitement is surprising. It wasn’t that she thought they wouldn’t be happy for them, she just figured it would come as more of a surprise. Without seeming to take much time to consider what this all means, they all smile. Hermann even begins to pour a round of shots for everyone, all while making sure Sylvie is aware she won’t be getting any of it. She laughs. It’s a small sacrifice. 

As everyone settles behind the bar, Kelly interlocks his fingers with Sylvie’s and she feels as though she might explode from happiness. This is her fresh start, the one she’s been after this whole time. It’s right here. It's happening.

“Wait! So, how'd this happen?” Leave it to Otis to ease the moment.

Everyone laughs. 

* * *

Once they pull up to the curb in front of Sylvie’s apartment, Kelly puts his car into park and removes the keys from the ignition. Beside him, in the passenger seat, sits Sylvie. She’d fallen asleep somewhere between Molly’s and here and he hates that he has to wake her. She looks so peaceful and content, this rest likely what her body has been begging for for hours now. The events of the day have finally caught up to her.

Just as soon as the group of them finish a round of drinks at Molly’s to celebrate his and Sylvie’s announcement, they make sure to get out of there. Kelly wants to get her home as soon as possible, the day seeming like it might never end. Boden gave Sylvie the rest of the week off, in order to get as much rest and relaxation as she needs before returning to work since she'd been dehydrated and worn down, both as a result of her extensive hours at the firehouse and her stress level. 

Kelly hates Sylvie's neighborhood. He’s felt that way since their first night together. Kelly knows she only chose this area of Chicago because the rent was cheap and was all she could afford. Unfortunately, nothing about it seems particularly safe or welcoming and the last thing he wants is for Sylvie to bring their child home to this apartment once it was born. 

And then, as if she senses the car stop, Sylvie stirs. Some of her hair falls into her face, tickling her. She sleepily brushes it away from her nose and eyes, scrunches up her nose and stretches a bit. Kelly thinks it’s adorable. 

Eventually, her eyes open and she immediately furrows her eyebrows, taken back by the way he stares. “Creepy."

Without acknowledging her comment, Kelly smiles, but continues to watch her. “We’re at your place.”

She sits up straighter in her seat and looks out the window, confirming his statement. And then the craziest idea enters Kelly’s mind. Once the idea occurs to him, Kelly can hardly think of anything else. 

“Move in with me.” 

Sylvie’s head whips around to face him, her eyes bulging out of her head. The sight is almost comical. Kelly knows she must think she’d heard him wrong, that he hadn’t meant to say it. Her mouth drops open. He can practically hear the gears turning in her brain as she works to formulate her response.

“I just moved here. I can’t break my lease.” 

Rather than turn him down immediately as Kelly expected, she offers up a reason as to why this whole idea doesn’t make sense. And rationally, he knew the same. But nothing about this situation is conventional or normal or easy and there weren’t any obvious answers about what they’re supposed to do next. Kelly knows he liked Sylvie and wants to be around her whenever possible. Already, he loves his child greatly and wants to be involved throughout this entire process. Kelly would never want to suffocate or overwhelm her. He just wants to be there for her and living under the same roof would make those intentions much easier.  

Kelly has been meaning to move out of his place anyway, the same apartment he shared with Shay. But she's gone now and every time he goes home, he is reminded of her and how much it hurts to miss her. He can’t start this next phase of his life without properly letting go of the old one. Kelly doesn’t mean to forget his friend, something he hopes he never does. But he also is not interested in living in an apartment where he's dragged down by memories that will only ever exist in the past.

In just under seven months, he is going to be a father. His entire life is about to change and Kelly wants to move forward with that life. An important first step will be to move out of his apartment and he wants Sylvie to come with him. 

And as if on cue, Sylvie has a question. “But what if you find out I leave my shoes lying around or don’t wash the dishes more than was a week?!” This sounds like a joke, but Sylvie is serious.

Kelly may not know everything, but he knows that won’t be the case. Even when Sylvie confuses the hell out of him, such as her boldness today in the shower, he’s never once found her annoying. He knows this suggestion has thrown her for a loop, that it is something she never expected especially after all that happened today and he wants to give her the chance to think about it, to really consider the idea.  

When she’s ready, Kelly will be patiently waiting for her answer.  


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn't my favorite chapter but it is a necessary one. We're making progress with these two guys. I am so excited about where this story is heading and the ideas I have for it. Still, there are some aspects of it that I still don't have worked out. This is where you guys - the readers come in. I would love to hear some comments and ideas about what you think so far and what you would like to see happen for this two in this story. Now, I cannot guarantee that I will include them seeing as I have to be inspired to produce those scenes. But I want to make this enjoyable for everyone who reads. 
> 
> For those of you who continue to read and comment (please do continue to leave your thoughts - it really does help), THANK YOU!

Four days after the emergency room visit, Sylvie returns to work.  
   
It feels amazing to be useful again. Sitting at home, watching way too much television, and making sure to drink her water and take her vitamins has grown boring, so boring. There's only so much HGTV programming one person can stand. In all those hours of television, they only thing Sylvie learned was that she could never be an interior decorator. Nothing in her apartment matches or is arranged in a manner that flows or whatever. Sylvie is a paramedic. Creativity has never really been her thing.   
   
Then again, this apartment might not be her apartment for much longer since Kelly asked her to move in with him. But Sylvie doesn't know what that means or what she is supposed to do. He asked and she’s been avoiding him ever since. It’s been four days and Sylvie hasn’t seen Kelly since he dropped her off after they told everyone at Molly’s about the baby.  
   
As much as she appreciates Kelly and his desire to be there for both her and their baby, Sylvie doesn’t want to live with him if it's only because of the baby. She is independent and strong and could do this. She could be a mother without living with her child’s father. She isn’t some incubator that he would protect and care for seven months and then get rid of after she’s had the kid. And Sylvie likes her apartment. She likes it enough anyway. Though it’s not anything special, it’s the best she can afford.   
   
Living with Kelly would be complicated and would definitely not solve any of their problems. It wouldn’t matter if they saw each other at home and work, their communication skills are still terrible, and proximity isn’t going to change that. She will talk to Kelly about his suggestion when she is ready. And she’s just not ready yet. Four days have passed and she wishes she had an answer for him.   
   
Sylvie wants to work today, to be of service. She wants to help and be the capable paramedic she knows she was. After everything that happened earlier in the week, with her cramps and the dehydration, Sylvie knows she needs to be careful. She is a paramedic and has to do her job, she really wants to do her job. But she's also pregnant and that matters. Still, she could have a career and have her baby. A small scare isn’t going to change her mind about that.   
   
If she wants both, Sylvie could have both.   
   
She’d only just walked of the locker room when both her and Dawson are alerted to a call over the loudspeaker. Sylvie ignores all of the curious eyes that follow her figure as she rushes through the halls and into the bay of the firehouse. It's her first day back after her emergency room visit and they all know about the baby now. Unfortunately, she’ll just have to get used to all of the attention. They are all looking out for her.   
   
The scene Ambo 61 is called to was simple, nothing more than a young kid who’d fallen off of a high fence he climbed when he shouldn’t have. His leg and wrist were broken and there might have been some kind of brain injury. There was some blood and he wasn’t totally responsive to either of their questions, so they wanted to get him transported to Chicago Med as soon as possible. After they’d just exactly that, Sylvie and Dawson grab some of the supplies they needed and started heading back to their rig.    
   
“Well, do you want to move in with him?” Gabby asks as she juggled a few boxes in her hands, walking ahead of Sylvie.   
   
As much as she hates it, Sylvie tends to overshare when she is overwhelmed and when her partner asks how she and Kelly are doing since the scare, Sylvie starts talking and can’t seem to stop. Four days of thinking and HGTV and some more thinking has gotten old. She needs to talk to someone about all this, needing some advice. She wouldn’t call her and Dawson friends yet, but they're getting there, that they could be friends someday.  
   
Because Sylvie really needs a friend.   
   
“I don’t know.” Sylvie shrugs. And that is the truth. Whether or not she wants to live with Kelly, Sylvie doesn’t know. "And now it’s weird and I think I might’ve offended him or hurt his feelings or…”  
   
Gabby laughs. Out loud. She laughs loud enough for everyone they pass in the halls to turn and look. “You didn’t hurt his feelings, Brett. Trust me.” They round a corner and head for the stairs. “Anyway, I think Severide’s ego can take it.” Sylvie sees her partner grin.   
   
As she walks behind Gabby, the two of the came to an intersection of hallways and Dawson walks in the direction opposite of what Sylvie expected. They should have gone right. If Gabby turned right, the two of them would have walked into the ER and out to their rig. Instead, they are venturing into a part of the hospital Sylvie has yet to see. She’s only been in town for a few months. She's still learning.   
   
“Who knows...maybe heisright. Maybe it is a good idea.” Logistically, Kelly's idea sounds logical, the two of them moving in together, raising this baby, their baby. Sylvie wants to believe more than anything that he isn’t just offering up these promises, these reassurances because she is pregnant. There has to be more to it than that. “Or MAYBE he’s insane and it’s the worst idea that anyone has ever had.” Sylvie clumsily stumbles over her words.She isn't even really talking to Dawson anymore. This is her internal dialogue spilling over and spewing out of her mouth. 

Sylvie doesn’t even notice that Gabby stopped walking until their bodies slam together. In front of them now, there is a large window and on the other side, Sylvie can see rows of babies, swaddled in blankets and wearing hats. Some cry while others suck at their fingers in an attempt to soothe themselves. Sylvie’s breath catches in her throat.   
   
“You’re gonna have one of these.” Even without seeing if for herself, Sylvie can picture the faint smile on Gabby’s face.  
   
Everything else will work itself out. She truly believes that.   
   
And then, as if on cue, both of their radios go off and they are called to another scene, as are Squad 3 and Truck 81. In no time at all, they’ve made it out to the front of the emergency room and into their ambulance. Dawson drives them across town to the corner of an intersection just blocks away from 51. When they arrive, the rest of the firehouse is there, tending to a fire that is burning out of control. All around, there are bystanders and curious onlookers standing in the road and on the sidewalks. Traffic has already been diverted away from the scene and all have sprung into action.   
   
In passing, as she works to provide oxygen to a woman and he reports to the Chief, Sylvie sees Kelly for the first time in four days. She sees him for the first time since they had sat in his car the other night and he asked her to live with him. He’d asked her to share a home and now they are here, both trying to save lives. Standing at least a hundred feet apart, on opposite ends of the street, they lock eyes. He looks both relieved to see her and very pissed. Sylvie could practically see his jaw clench. He makes it so hard for her to resist him. She wonders if he knows how amazed by him she really is. He's this incredible firefighter who sacrifices his entire life to save others and he is sweet and dedicated and so handsome, leaving Sylvie blown away by him. She hopes their child has at least half as much bravery as their father does.   
   
Watching Kelly in action, in his element, is unlike anything Sylvie has seen before. He is focused and in control, a leader even when the situation they face seems dire and insurmountable. There doesn't seem to be anything Kelly couldn’t handle. He is Kelly fucking Severide and is practically a superhero. She is truly honored to know him. 

At some point, Sylvie watches as he pulls a little boy out of the building moments before an explosion erupts and has them all ducking for cover. He holds the boy in his arms and races him over to where Gabby and her stand, desperate to get the child the medical attention he needs.   
   
One second, he is there, dropping the boy down on the stretcher she stands by and in the next second, he is gone, back to saving lives. Everything - and everyone - else around her is a blur. She has tunnel vision and the only thing she can focus on is him. She wants to be better at all this, at communicating and being what he wants her to be. But Sylvie is just so scared. She is so out of her element here, it is insane. Sylvie has never done anything like this before.   
   
Once everything at the scene dies down, both Sylvie and Dawson take to cleaning up the area around their rig. They pick up and organize the scrapes of the medical supplies they used. For as bad as the fire seemed when they first arrived, there weren’t any casualties or major injuries to report. Even that little boy Kelly saved had nothing more than a few scrapes to take care. He didn’t even need to be transferred to the hospital once they monitored his breathing. This was a days most rescue workers dream of. Everyone was okay and safe. 

Their clean-up was almost finished when Sylvie spots Kelly walking towards her. He holds his gloves in his hands and he’s no longer wearing his jacket, having discarded it elsewhere. The bright red color of his suspenders contrasts the navy color of his tee-shirt. Dust and smoke stick to his face, making him look rough and tired and very sexy. Sylvie hates herself for thinking so. People could’ve died in that fire and here she is, turned on.   
   
Snapping her gloves off, Sylvie meets him in the middle of the road and smiles slightly. “Is the offer still valid?” She wants this. She wants him, as complicated as it was. They are adults and they can figure this out. Kelly looks down at her. Sylvie could tell he is confused by her question, his eyebrows furrowed together. “I think we should move in together. If that’s still something you want."  
   
And then it clicks. She watches his eyebrows rise in surprise and his eyes brighten. “Okay.” Kelly nods and smiles.   
   
“Okay.”   
   
Sylvie pretends not to notice Dawson and her smug smile watching them. 


	10. Chapter 10

The apartment is great. It's spacious and modern and close enough to the firehouse where they wouldn’t have to work around traffic or run late to shifts. There are two and a half beds and two bathrooms, a kitchen with plenty of counter-space and an amazing view from the windows in the living room. It's in a safe neighborhood - safer than where Sylvie is living now that’s for sure - and it’s in a good school district. Kelly can feel his heart beating faster in his chest. Six months ago, he never would have given half a thought to where the best elementary schools in the city are located. It hadn't mattered to him before. But it definitely matters now. 

He wants to do this. He wants him and Sylvie to move in together. They may not be together, but she is pregnant with his baby and he wants to take care of her, whether she plans to let him or not. Two months ago, they slept together and now they are shopping for an apartment together, real estate agent and all. It’d taken some convincing on his part to get her to come along to the appointment Kelly scheduled a few days ago. He could tell Sylvie is still reluctant, terrified by how fast this is all moving and Kelly doesn’t blame her. Neither of them have the slightest clue as to what they are doing. 

More than anything, Kelly wants to ease her nerves. He wants to convince her that everything will be okay, that she doesn’t need to worry about anything. Sometimes, late at night, he wonders what might of happened if Sylvie hadn’t gotten pregnant, but still slept together and found out they would be working together. Would it be this complicated? Or would they have just acknowledged the moment and moved on? Kelly isn’t typically the kind to dwell in what ifs because they wouldn't change anything. 

Sylvie is pregnant and it's complicated. They are the very definition of complicated. 

Kelly watches as Sylvie strolls through the rooms of the apartment, the fourth they have looked at this afternoon. It is by far the nicest of the four and Kelly can tell Sylvie is impressed. Still, the expression on her face has been tight and strained from the moment their realtor told them just how much rent would cost them. Kelly knows she likes the place but would never admit to it because of the price. He doesn’t know much about her, but he can tell she isn’t an extravagant person. He’s been to her apartment before. She's a simple person, likely thinking this place is too expensive and has one too many rooms.  

Kelly doesn't care. If this is the apartment she likes, this is the place they're going to share. He is a Lieutenant for the Chicago Fire Department. He makes more than enough money to afford this place.

“I could never afford this place.” As if on cue, Sylvie informs him of this when the realtor ventures out into the hall to take a call. Her eyes are wide, inspecting every inch of the room they stand in. She crosses her arms over her chest. “I don’t have any money to spare these days.” Standing there, she looks so small and ashamed. 

With his hands in his pockets, Kelly walks into the kitchen and stands behind the opposite side of the island. He leans down and rests his elbows down on the countertop. “But I do.” Kelly isn't surprised she’s fighting him on this. “I can afford this place.” In his steadiest voice, he try to assure her of this fact.

And he’s not saying any of this to show off. It's just a simple fact. He’s been a firefighter for a long time, working his way through the ranks and has earned his position. If there is anything Kelly is proud of in his life, it’s his title as Lieutenant. He’s older than Sylvie and has been doing this for a while. Unlike her, he has money to spare and wants to use it on things that matter. Whether she's aware of it or not, Sylvie matters to him. Kelly wants to this for her, for them. 

Sylvie bites at her lip and shakes her head. “I couldn’t ask you to do that.” 

Kelly groans, hanging his head. She is exhausting. “You’re not asking.” 

The space between them is loaded with words left unsaid and a tension Kelly can't quite describe. "That’s so incredibly nice of you...to even offer...but I can take of myself. I’m not a charity case.” She stands up straight, a conviction in her voice. 

Without looking away from her, Kelly nods. He's amazed by Sylvie, by her strength, by her stubbornness. He won’t deny it's sexy. “I know you could do this on your own if you needed to. Trust me, I know that.” Kelly has no intention to lie to her. "But you don’t have to do this on your own. I’m here and I want to be here. You’re not a burden and I’m going to need you to stop acting like I think you are.” He hates that his tone grows sharper with each word, but sometimes, she just makes his blood boil. 

He is here and he wants to be here. It would be nice if she didn’t fight him every step of the way. 

Sylvie swallows, her demeanor changing a bit. “I never - “ 

“Brett, you are the mother of my child,” He cuts her off. “And if I’m able to provide you with something, I am going to.” Kelly knows she is worried about him only sticking around because of the baby, that she might be a burden to him. “And it’s not just about the baby. I care about you.” He needs to make sure she's hearing him. 

For some reason, she thinks he doesn’t want to have anything to do with her or their baby. And, as hard as he tries not to be, Kelly is offended by her thinking that since it is the furthest thing from the truth. He is a grown man. She hasn’t trapped him into any of this. They had sex three months and protection or not, she's pregnant now, and Kelly hasn’t thought once about abandoning her. Sure, he is scared out of his mind about the prospect of being a father, but he won’t run. Most days, he's just happy Sylvie is still speaking to him. He’s not always the easiest person to talk to, but she can hold her own, impressing Kelly endlessly. 

“You do?” She whispers as though the words are caught in her throat. 

Kelly doesn’t understand her. Most of the time, he wants to yell at her, to shake her. Why is it so impossible for her to believe that he cares about her? It's endlessly frustrating. He walks around the corner of the island and meets her where she stands. He doesn't miss how her eyes widen and the shaky breath she lets out. She looks so beautiful. Kelly hopes their baby has her eyes. He doesn’t plan to give her the chance to freak out or back away now. Looking to take advantage of the opportunity, Kelly steps forward and grabs onto the material of her shirt where it hangs over her belly. She gasps but doesn’t resist. Soon, their lips meet and Kelly even thinks he hears Sylvie moan, her muscles relaxing. Some of that tension, of that anxiety he knows she feels goes away and it’s just the two of them, melting into each other.  

Whether she knows it or not, they are going to live in this apartment. She will just have to get used to him sticking around. In six short months, this will be their child’s first home. 

As they continue to kiss, he smiles against her mouth. Feeling his expression change, Sylvie pulls away and furrows her eyebrows as she looks at him. Her confusion is obvious. Feeling as though an explanation wouldn’t do the feeling justice, Kelly simply smiles and pulls her into him. She sighs, wrapping her shorter arms around him as well. 

There is something between them. It had been there even before they knew about the baby. Sylvie has to feel what Kelly does. They've showered together at the firehouse after emergency room visits and kissed outside of Molly’s and in the home where there will bring their child home from the hospital. There is something here, Kelly knows that for sure. 

He holds Sylvie tighter.  

* * *

Somewhere between two and three o’clock in the morning, Kelly and Matt find themselves sitting around a table by the kitchen area of 51. This week, Kelly picked up the extra hours - the graveyard shift - to catch up on some of his paperwork. Unfortunately, he finished up with that around midnight and it's been a particularly slow night otherwise. It’s been over three hours since their last call. Kelly knows he should probably make use of the downtime, but he hasn’t been sleeping much these days and knows an effort to would be useless. 

So, instead, he sits with Casey and they wait for morning. Beside him, Casey flips through a magazine and bites at the chocolate bar he holds periodically. Every few minutes, his friend looks up at Kelly, studying his face. He stares, looking as though he’s ready to say something, only to remain silent. Kelly wishes he’d just spit it out already. 

“Are you scared? 

And there it is. Kelly is going to need more of an explanation though. “Use more words, Matt.” Without looking up from the sports section of the newspaper he’s taken to reading, Kelly instructs, grinning. 

He taps his thumb against the edge of the table and leans back into his chair. All at once, Matt looks relaxed and anxious. “About being a father? Does that scare you?” For as long as it takes him to actually ask the question, Matt sure doesn’t shy away from it once it finally escapes his mouth. 

Kelly drops the paper from his hands and finally matches Casey’s gaze. Without hesitation, he nods and Matt doesn’t say anything else. Kelly wonders why he asked. In the few weeks since Kelly told his friend about the baby, they haven’t  talked much about it otherwise. Kelly has never been the type to discuss his personal life and Matt knows that. He doesn't pry or fish for information that Kelly is not readily willing to offer. But it's past midnight and they are both tired and bored and they have to talk about something at this hour.  

Of course Kelly was scared. He wouldn’t be human if he wasn’t. In less than six months, he’s going to be a father and the mother of his child met the same night said child was conceived. That development in someone’s life would throw anyone for a loop. There isn’t much that scared Kelly Severide, but this does. 

In the immediate aftermath of Shay’s death, Kelly worried about what a life without her would look like. She was his best friend, his roommate, his colleague and he respected her more than anyone else. There was once a time where he loved Shay more than anyone else in the world. What is he supposed to do with that? One day she was alive and now she just isn't. She died and left him behind. And for a long time, it hurt. Missing her, grieving her, being angry at her left him as a shell of himself. To this day, Kelly still hasn't entirely dealt with the emotions of losing her. But then Sylvie happened. Like a freight train, she showed up in his life and shifted his entire world. The first night they spent together had been the first time he’d been able to connect with anyone since Shay died and it changed everything. Kelly would never regret meeting her.  

This is all so confusing. He might throw up.  

There is no one else around. It's late and everyone else fell asleep hours ago. Kelly figures it's as good as time as any to talk about this. “If there’s a part of me, a small part, that’s happy Shay died…does that make me a terrible person?” That very question keeps him up most nights. "Because if Shay never dies, I don’t meet Sylvie and there’s no baby.” Kelly isn’t good with being vulnerable like this. As badly as he love to know the answers, he also wishes he could go back in time and never mention any of this. Kelly runs his rough hands up and down his face, as though that could resolve some of his anguish. "Am I fucked up? Am I a bad person?” He can feel his pulse quicken as he awaits Casey’s answer. 

“No.” Without missing a beat or moving a muscle, Matt responds. Kelly is glad his friend can be so sure. “You’re allowed to miss your friend and enjoy having Brett around. It doesn’t make you a bad friend to Shay just because you’ve developed a relationship with the girl who replaced her.” Not for one second did Casey break eye contact with Kelly. "You’re not a bad person, Severide.”  

Kelly isn’t proud of the guilt and shame he feels. But he's doing the best he can. No matter what, Sylvie will be able to count on him. The same can be said for their child. They are all going to be okay. Kelly just isn’t sure he's the best man for the job. Sylvie deserves the world. Their child deserves better than him. He or she deserves a father that is a stable and not an insensitive bastard. Kelly throat feels dry. Mostly, he just really misses his friend. Shay would have never let him fuck all of this up with Sylvie and their baby. In no time at all, she would whip him into shape. He’s never done well with being left alone with his own thoughts. 

Turning away from Casey, Kelly stares straight ahead, uninterested in being judged or laughed at. "I think I’m afraid that Brett’s gonna wake up one day and realize I’m not a good guy, that I can’t be what she needs.” He would never tell Sylvie any of this but it’s true. "I’m afraid that she’ll regret giving her child me as a father.” Kelly can practically feel Casey’s sigh as though it is a lightning strike ripping through his body. Like he said, he's not proud of this. He's going to do better. 

Kelly will be better. 

Snapping Kelly back into reality, Casey places his hand on Kelly’s shoulder. He’d done this about a million times since Shay died, but this is the first time Kelly feels the comfort Matt intends. “You’re not a screw up. If you want to be good enough for her, for Brett, you can be.” 

Tears start to form in his eyes, blurring his vision. He inhales deeply and turns to face his friend. The silence around them is deafening. “I have to be good at this, Casey.” His voice fails him, matching the unsteadiness of his hands where they rest in his lap.  

Matt smiles a bit and squeezes Kelly’s shoulder tighter. “That part of you that's happy Shay died...it doesn’t make you a bad person.” Before continuing, he shrugs. "It just makes you someone who loves their kid.” 

Kelly nods. Someday, he’ll convince himself of this. All at once, he can be a good friend to Shay, a good partner to Sylvie, and the father his child deserves. It doesn’t have to be one or the other. 

When his shift ends, Kelly sleeps through the night for the first time in weeks. 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoy, PLEASE comment. I would greatly appreciate it. 
> 
> I am having a blast writing this story and these characters and their journey. I know they've never actually been together on the show but we could all dream, right?

Today is a big day.  

Today, after his shift, Kelly is picking up the keys to his and Sylvie’s new apartment. At this point, the paperwork is completed and processed. The place was officially theirs. Somehow, he was finally able to convince Sylvie to let him do this for her, for them. Even when she agreed, she seemed hesitant and unsure, making sure he knew only under a few conditions would she allow him to pay the rent for the apartment. Paying for groceries and utilities would be her responsibility and he wasn’t going to convince her otherwise. She is not interested in being a free loader, wanting to do her part. 

In the time between when they first toured the apartment and today - two weeks - Kelly helped her pack up her apartment into as few boxes as possible so that their transition would be as seamless. He hadn’t meant to, but he found himself watching her every move as she picked up items and placed them into the cardboard boxes they used. Kelly supervised her every move, watching to make sure she didn’t pick up something she wasn’t supposed to, something too heavy. And of course, she complained that she isn’t fragile, that she won’t break, a statement she proves each day at work. Kelly cringed. Just because she is still working and has been careful doesn’t mean he had to like it. 

Their jobs aren’t safe. Not in any sense of the word. Every damn day, Kelly worries about her. He’d hate himself if something happened to her, to their child, and he had not been able to protect them. He knows she was capable of working while pregnant just look millions of other women do every day. Still, the idea scares the hell out of Kelly. And that feeling likely won’t soon go away.

If Kelly is doing his math right, Sylvie is fifteen weeks pregnant now and would be considered four months pregnant next week. It’s crazy how fast time is flying, feeling like just yesterday that they met and she took him home.  That was the night his entire life changed, whether he’d known it then or not. She's almost four months pregnant now and she had a doctor appointment last week. Surprising him somewhat, Sylvie invited Kelly to come along…but only if he wanted to. She made that part clear. As though she didn’t expect him to want to be there. 

All of the exam and tests the nurse and her primary doctor ran came back normal and Kelly was grateful. Especially after she was rushed to the emergency room, hearing from a medical professional that both Sylvie and the baby are still healthy would never get old. He would never talk their health and wellness for granted. At the appointment, they’d gotten an ultrasound and were able to see their baby again, an amazing sight. Times like those could really snap a person back into reality. 

Kelly watched as she suffered through many weeks of morning sickness, leaving her so tired and sick. She had even lost some weight, worrying him. It couldn’t be healthy for her and the baby for her to drop weight and to be unable to eat really meals without getting sick. But, the again, what does he know about pregnancy. He’d done his best to research these sorts of things, but there is a lot of information to keep straight. 

In three hours, after his shift is over, Kelly plans to pick up the keys to their apartment. Currently though, he is more interested in Sylvie and where she is sleeping in his quarters of the firehouse. Roughly forty minutes ago, she approached him as he grabbed food from the kitchen and asked him if she could use his bed. Today has been a particular busy day at 51 after they’d return from a scene where they almost lost a woman. Everyone has been bustling around, filled with adrenaline and nervous energy. Apparently, it was just too noisy for her to fall asleep in the regular sleeping quarters and she really needed to get sleep between calls. At first, he laughed at her question, unsure as to why she felt the need to ask. Of course she’s allowed to use his quarters if needed. He nodded and watched as she wondered down the hall.

Just as soon as he finished his lunch and wrapped up a conversation with Capp about their response time this morning, Kelly made his way over to his office. Immediately, he notices the blinds are drawn and the door is closed. Careful not to disturb her, Kelly turns the handle of the door slowly and opens it just enough so that he can fit through before closing them off to the rest of the world again. 

Kelly is happy to see she was able to fall asleep. In his bed, Sylvie looks about as comfortable and content as he's ever seen anyone be. Her legs are pulled into her chest and her hands are placed between her cheek and the pillow her head rests on. He wonders if he should cover her up with a blanket, if maybe she is cold. Deciding not to, Kelly sits in his desk chair and starts to work on his report for this morning’s call. Paperwork is one of Kelly’s least favorite parts of the job, but it is also part of the job. Whenever he has a second, he tries to work on it so that it doesn’t build up on him. 

He is eager to get out of 51, to officially move into their apartment. Tonight will be the first night they spend together in the apartment and they have yet to really discuss the living situation. The apartment has two bedrooms and Kelly wouldn’t have any problem is she feels more comfortable living as roommates, in every sense of the word. Except, they aren’t just roommates. They are co-workers, having a baby together. They also just happen to be kissing each other outside of bars and wherever else. They’re not just roommates or friends or some other label that couldn’t begin to explain their situation. Kelly is desperate for the answer. wishes

In the past, monogamy had certainly never been a concept that was associated with his name. Kelly isn’t deaf. He’s heard his friends, his colleagues, talk about his extra-curricular affairs. He’s never been shy about them either, because they aren’t anything to be ashamed of. Kelly doesn’t have anything to offer a woman, with all of his baggage and a job that he is endlessly dedicated to. And then Shay died and that put him off from relationships even more. What is the point in getting involved with someone - whether romantically or not - if they’re just going to walk into a warehouse one day and die? Kelly can’t go through that again.  

But…now, there is Sylvie. And Sylvie is amazing. She’s smart and strong and damn impressive at her job. She’s also mother of his child. They have this chemistry, this spark between them that Kelly can’t deny. He can’t ignore the fact that thinking about her keeps him up most nights. Would Sylvie want to be with him the way he wants to be with her? Obviously, he could just ask her that outright but he almost fears the answer. And their situation doesn’t need any more complications. Kelly wants his child to have both of their parents around and if that means he has to bite his tongue, he will. None of this is about what he wants. 

And then, behind him, Sylvie moves a bit, reminding Kelly of her presence in the room. In his chair, he turns to face her. She remains asleep, just looking for a more comfortable position he supposed. She is sprawled out now, taking up more of the bed as she lays on her back. Kelly laughs at the imprint left behind on her cheek and arms from the textile of the sheet she laid on. He leans back in his chair, folds his arms over his chest and forgets entirely about the paperwork he needs to get done. This sight is much better. 

And that’s when he sees it. A bump. It’s hard to miss. 

It’s not much, nothing more than a slight swell of her belly just below her belly button, but it is definitely there. Since Sylvie's frame is so small, Kelly is surprised their baby hadn’t made their presence known before this. Sometimes, it even worried him. She's almost four months pregnant now and there's physically evidence of that fact now. Kelly feels a rush of pride and admiration wash over him. He wonders if anyone else has noticed the change in Sylvie’s body yet. In the coming weeks, he’s sure the bump will only continue to grow, becoming much more obvious to the world. There would be no ignoring that Sylvie is pregnant then. 

Sometimes, Kelly can hardly believe have fast everything is moving. In less than three hours, he will be picking up the keys to their new apartment and with nervous anticipation, he is excited. 

* * *

Even if she pinched herself, Sylvie isn’t sure she’d believe any of this.   

She lives with Kelly Severide. Sylvie lives with her boss…her incredibly attractive boss who she has developed very real feelings for. He’s the father of her child and they live together now. They are going to share groceries and bills and a baby. This is going to take her more than a few days to wrap her mind around. 

Last night, after she finished her shift, Sylvie met Kelly at her apartment where he was prepared to transfer all of her belongings. Just a few hours before, he picked up the keys to their new apartment and moved all of his stuff inside with the help of Casey and a few of the other guys from the firehouse. There were still times where Sylvie was amazed by all of the support her and Kelly were getting. After they unpacked the necessary items they would need for the night, Kelly disappeared into one of the bedrooms of the apartment after insisting that Sylvie took the larger one and not much was made about it. 

Today, Sylvie dedicated much of her time to working through her packed boxes. However slowly, the apartment is coming together. Most of her belongings are unpacked and placed in their appropriate areas of the apartment. All of her clothing was put on hangers in her closet or folded in one of her drawers. All of her cooking utensils and similar items are unpacked and organized so that they were best be able to access them when needed. Real plates and actual utensils are better than the paper towels they ate their dinner on last night. 

Across the hall, Sylvie can hear Kelly in his closet, messing around with hangers. Every so often, she hears him sigh. Obviously, unpacking isn’t his favorite thing to do. Overall, their boxes have been cleared out of the living room area except for one. But it’s one of Kelly’s boxes and Sylvie isn’t sure she’s allowed to unpack it, if he would okay with her going through his belongings. She has no clue. Her and Kelly never really seem to talk about this sort of stuff, about boundaries and the rules they hope to follow for this whole arrangement. Really, they don’t talk about much. At least not important things anyway.

They live together. They’re having a child together. It’s too bad they are both amazing at avoiding important conversations since there are things they really need to talk about. 

Deciding that she hoped to be productive, Sylvie flips the tabs open and rummages through the miscellaneous items it contains. Most of what is  inside is delicate and fragile, individual wrapped in newspaper to ensure that it wouldn’t break during the move. One item, in particular, catches Sylvie’s attention. It’s a picture frame containing a photo of Kelly and his best friend, Leslie Shay. In the photo, Kelly’s arm is wrapped around Shay’s shoulder and the smile on his face stretches from ear to ear. Shay is kissing him on the cheek. They both look happy. Sylvie doesn’t think she’s ever seen Kelly look so happy. 

A part of her is pleased to find this photo, to be provided a chance to bear witness to this part of his life. More than anything, Sylvie wants to know Kelly. But they don’t talk about Shay. In the four months they’ve known each other, not once had they talked about Shay or her death. And Sylvie doesn’t plan to be the one to bring it up. Everyone has things they don’t talk about, pain they don’t allow others to see and Shay is exactly that for Kelly. She is the story he never reads aloud. 

Kelly clearing his throat alerts Sylvie to his presence. Immediately, she looks up from the photo and sees him standing in the door frame of his bedroom. His arms are crossed over his chest and Sylvie can’t quite decipher whether or not he is upset or mad she found this photo. She doesn’t yet know him well enough to be able to read his every emotion yet. She hopes he wasn’t mad. For a long moment, they are both silent, keeping their eyes locked. Sylvie watches as feelings of recognition, sadness, and understanding pass through Kelly’s eyes in a span of only a few seconds. A deep exhale escapes him before walks towards her. Her eyes track his figure as he crosses the room and sits opposite of her on their couch. 

Unsure of what she’s supposed to do next, of how she is supposed to navigate this situation, Sylvie averts her eyes and stares down at the photo in her lap. Then, she grabs the frame and passes it to him. After some obvious hesitation, Kelly takes the photo from her. Maybe this is a mistake. Maybe they shouldn’t have moved in together. 

“I’m not hiding anything from you.” Sylvie is surprised by what he says first. She half expected her finding the photo to go unmentioned. He looks up from the photo and directly at her, tears in his eyes. "There aren’t any secrets here.” Kelly shrugs. "I just don’t talk about it.” 

Sylvie understands. “Okay.” If he doesn’t want to talk about it, they won’t. 

Kelly places the picture frame on the couch cushion between them and rubs his palm over his mouth, his expression pained. “She was my best friend and I miss her.” Every day, he misses her. It comes in waves and when it hits, Kelly can’t breathe. It’s not a pain he could ever be able to adequately describe.  

Though it may not be something Kelly wants her to do, Sylvie scoots over to where he sits and wraps her hand around his bicep, leaning her head down on his shoulder. "Okay.” She’s never lost her best friend before. She doesn’t know the pain of what that is like. “You don’t have to say anything else.” Sitting beside him, Sylvie can feel his muscles relax against her. Her fingers run through his hair at the base of his neck, more of an unconscious action than anything else. 

She looks up at him and he matches her gaze, turning his head to face her. He looks so sad, as though the weight of the world is resting on his shoulders and he doesn’t know what to do with it. Sylvie wishes she could help him, help him relieve some of that pain and suffering he faces on a daily basis. She wants them to be a partnership, to be friends who just so happened to be expecting a baby. If she can help him somehow, she wants to…more than anything. 

“She’d like you.” He smiles. It is strained and tight, but Sylvie sees it. "I think Shay would’ve liked you.” 

* * *

Once they settled in for the night and were comfortable with how much they were unable to unpack, it was time for dinner. Now that her morning sickness has passed, Sylvie has more of an appetite. Interestingly enough, all she ever seems to want is pizza. Now that she is finally able to keep her meals down, she’s gotten her first real pregnancy crazing. She is almost four months pregnant now and with each passing day, Sylvie has started to wrap her mind around the idea of being a mother. Honestly, though the idea of being responsible for another human being still scares the shit out of her, it’s also incredibly exciting. 

Obviously, her food cravings aren’t the only thing that changed in recent weeks. In addition to her recently discovered love of pizza, Sylvie could see changes in her body as well. Her breasts have grown a bit and though she’s lost some weight due to the intense morning sickness she suffered from, she has started to gain some of it back. Also, her baby bump has become more prominent in recent days. Though this new feature of her body is strange and still surprises her each morning once she sees it. She can’t believe her body is growing a human, that the first night she and Kelly shared resulted in this baby. The science of it still blows Sylvie’s mind.  

As soon as Kelly gets her to admit to being hungry and in the mood for some pizza, he locates his car keys, changes into something more comfortable and leaves the apartment. He hopes to be back in twenty minutes or so. Sylvie could never deny that Kelly isn’t a gentleman. Sometimes, it still blows her away with just how sweet he can be. It’s an aspect of his personality that he doesn’t so readily show to anyone.  

Kelly is a man’s man. He’s a Lieutenant at a firehouse in a major American city. Part of his job is being responsible for the safety of his men and the people of Chicago. There is no room for mistake for Kelly, leaving him with a heavy load to carry. 

Waiting for him to return, she is sitting in their kitchen when a sudden knock at the door causes Sylvie to jump in her chair.Once the initial shock wears off, confusion sets in. Who is showing up at their door so late? She doesn’t have an answer to that question. It can’t be Kelly. He has a key. Maybe his hands are full, leaving him unable to maneuver the doorknob as a result. Jumping down from her chair, Sylvie rushes across the room. 

There is another knock then. This time, it is louder, more forceful, as though she hadn’t heard it the first time.

“Coming!” She is moving as fast as she can. Bypassing a look through the peephole, Sylvie reaches the door, unlocks it and swings it open. “Kelly, what are - “ 

“Who’s Kelly?’ 

_No._ This isn’t happening.  

On the other side of the door stands the last person she expected to see. Harrison, her ex-fiancé from Fowlerton. What the hell is he doing in doing in Chicago? 


	12. Chapter 12

“Who’s Kelly?” The question burns Sylvie’s ears.  

This is not happened. Harrison isn’t here in Chicago, standing at her apartment door, as though nothing has changed, as though they are still in Fowlerton. But none of that is true. Far from it. Sylvie last saw Harrison nearly six months ago when she chose to break off their engagement and returned his belongings. At the time, that decision was one of the scariest she ever had to make. But she does not regret it. They just weren’t right for each other. They wanted different things in life and were heading in different directions. Sylvie knew they would never be able to make their relationship work under those circumstances. And though it hasn’t been long since she made that decision, to end things with Harrison, it feels like a lifetime ago now. She’s not the anymore. 

She doesn't want to be with Harrison. She did not want it then and still does not want him now. She hasn’t wanted him for a long time, no offense intended. And is has nothing to do with Kelly or the baby. Independent of those factors, Sylvie knows she deserves more than a stagnant relationship that no longer had anything to offer her. _What the hell is he doing here?_ Her head is spinning. None of this makes sense. 

“Harrison? What…what are you doing here?” With furrowed eyebrows and a shaky voice, she musters the courage to ask. Then, the next obvious question crosses her mind. "How do you know where I live?” 

Outside of Chicago, the only person Sylvie mentioned her new apartment to was her older brother, Sam. It had only been last week that she even told her family about the pregnancy. Before then, she’d been too scared to do so, too scared of what their reaction might be. Luckily, her father and brother responded about as well as could be expected and assured her that she had their support no matter what. Sylvie wonders if Harrison called Sam and asked for her whereabouts in Chicago. Honestly, she couldn’t blame her brother if he had offered her address. Sylvie and Same never really talked about their personal relationships or the status of them before. Although Sam is aware that her and Harrison’s engagement ended before she moved to Chicago, he likely wasn’t aware they have not spoken since. 

Throwing his hands into the pockets of his pants, Harrison rocks back and forth on his heels. “Are you going to let me in? It’s not very nice to let a man stand out in the hall like this.” He smirks. Sylvie hates that.

Moving out of the doorway, Sylvie steps back and opens the door wide. He’s traveled all the way here from Fowlerton, the least she could do is give him five minutes to explain. 

“What are you doing here?” She asks again. 

Her patience is wearing thin. She needs him to talk to her, she wants to understand what the hell is going on. Her heart is pounding and her hands are shaking. She folds her arms over her chest and tucks her hands away so that Harrison wouldn’t see. Harrison walks past her and into the apartment, her hands still in his pockets. Somehow, he seems so much taller than she remembered him being. After all this time, it feels strange to be sharing space with him again. She’d honestly thought she would never see him again once she moved to Chicago. She doesn’t know what to say to him or what he wants from her. 

In the living room, he settles into a spot and turns to face her once again. Standing too close for Sylvie’s liking, she avoids all eye contact while he takes in the sight of the apartment. “Shit, Sylvie. You’ve been in Chicago for months. You’re only getting around to unpacking now?” Sylvie can hear judgment in the tone of his voice. 

“This is a new place. I just moved here.” He takes a step forward. She steps back. If they continued this dance for much longer, she'll soon run out of time before her back finds the wall behind her. “Harrison, what are you doing here?” She's grown tired of asking, her words sharper now. 

A smug smile returns to Harrison’s face and his eyes wonder up and down her figure. _Is he checking her out?_ Since she spent most of the day unpacking boxes, Sylvie isn’t much to look at currently, wearing just grey pajama shorts and a loose tee-shirt. Suddenly reminded of her pregnancy and the small baby bump she is now working with, Sylvie pulls at the front of her shirt, making sure he couldn’t detect anything. She’s not ready to have that conversation. Her hair is pulled up into a loose ponytail and there’s not an ounce of makeup on her face. Obviously, she wasn’t expecting visitors tonight. 

He shrugs, looking unsure of himself for the first time since this interaction started. Sylvie is pleased to know that she's not alone in that feeling. “I needed to see you. I miss you.”  

That was the last thing Sylvie wanted to hear. “You can’t be here. You have to go.” What does she have to say to get through to him?

"Didn’t you hear what I said?” Harrison’s sharp tone snaps Sylvie back into reality. _Who did he think he is talking to her like that?_ She's not a dog he can command.  

She shakes her head vigorously. This is insane. “It doesn’t matter. You shouldn’t be here.” She is beyond ready for him to leave.  

He ignores her entirely. “Who’s Kelly? Is that your roommate?” Recalling the name she used when she answered the door, Harrison voices his curiosity. 

Doing her best to keep her cool, to remain neutral, Sylvie nods, without offering up any further detail. Eventually, he ventures into the kitchen and hovers near the refrigerator. She realizes a second too late that one of their sonograms is hanging there, clear as day. Before she can divert his attention, Sylvie recognizes his entire body go still. It's too late. He’s seen it already.

Sylvie wants to throw up.  

“Is this - “ Whipping his head around to face her, as though his neck was separate from his shoulders, he looks angry and confused. "Are you pregnant?” Cleary, he’s not happy. His rough voice and body language tell Sylvie that.  

In that moment, words failed her. Instead, she nods once to confirm his suspicion. “You have to leave.” The words escape her as a whisper. Today has been a roller coaster of emotion and she’s so tired.  

This time, Harrison listens to her direction, greatly surprising Sylvie. Without any hesitation or words about it, Harrison rushes out of the kitchen, stormed past her and out of the apartment, slamming the front door as he went.  

Ten minutes later, Kelly returns, pizza pie in hand. He apologized for taking a bit longer than he planned and locked the front door behind him. 

In the kitchen, operating in slow motion, Sylvie can’t bring herself to acknowledge his presence. She feels like she couldn’t breathe. Gnawing at her fingernails, she sits on one of the barstools by the kitchen. Soon, she will have chewed them all the way down to the cuticles. Her world is spinning. Trying to keep up, Sylvie has grown dizzy trying to keep up. Out of the corner of her eye, Kelly comes into her field of vision and sets the box of pizza down on the counter. He rummages through a few drawers in search of plates for them to eat on. 

“My ex is here.” Biting the bullet, Sylvie confesses. 

As though he’d been shot and startled by the pain of it, Kelly pauses. Sylvie studies the way he swallows and his jaw clenches. “Excuse me?"

Sylvie fights back tears. Not only is she the woman who surprised him with a pregnancy neither of them expected in the immediate aftermath of his friend’s death, but now she's the woman who has baggage showing up at their doorstep. Kelly must be regretting his decision to move in with her right already. They're not even a couple and he still has to deal with Sylvie’s ex.  

She needs to use more words. She needs to clarify all of this for him. “Harrison. He’s here, he’s in Chicago. I haven’t seen him in months.” The gravity of all of this sets in.” I haven’t heard from him in months and now he’s here.” There's no way this type of stress is good for their baby.  

“In Chicago.” It's both a question and a statement. Putting his hands out in front of him, Kelly rests his weight against the counter of the island. On his face, his disbelief and confusion is evident.  

Sylvie is sorry this has all gotten so complicated. How had her life become such a circus? She is pregnant, has a complicated relationship with the father of her child and now must deal with the ex-fiancé she left behind. Sylvie came to Chicago, in need of change, of more excitement. The world is having fun with her now.  

"He was just here, at the front door and he said that he misses me, that he needed to see me.” She wishes she knew what Kelly wants her to say. "I almost married him. He’s not supposed to be here. He’s supposed to be in Indiana...in Fowlerton.” At this point, Sylvie is mostly talking to herself rather than describing this to him.

“You were engaged?” Kelly coughs out the question. His eyebrows rise, eyes narrowed.

The sudden sound startles Sylvie. “Huh…what?” For the first time in a while, their eyes lock. She wishes she hadn’t let that fact slip just yet.  

He steps away from the counter, resting his hands on his hips. His stance resembles one Sylvie had seen him take at work countless times before, as though she is a case he has to investigate. “You said you almost married him. You and this guy were engaged?” Sylvie knows he's trying his best to understand the situation, but the tone in his voice rubs her the wrong way. She had an entire life before she moved to Chicago and she won’t apologize for that. “You never mentioned being engaged.” 

Her relationship with Harrison is a chapter of her life she’d thought was closed. She never anticipated she would see him again. She hates that just as soon as her and Kelly make some progress - him opening up about Shay to her tonight - they're thrown a curveball that leaves them scrambling.  

“I’m sorry...I didn’t mean for you to find out like this.” Throwing her fingertips to her temples, Sylvie feels incredibly overwhelmed. Words get caught in her throat. Even though Sylvie is good under pressure, able to save someone’s life in the back of an ambulance with no problem, this is different. “I don’t want him here. I don’t want to see him.” 

And then, before Kelly responds, Sylvie’s stomach rumbles with hunger, ending their conversation on the spot. Though the outcome is not likely, Sylvie hopes she'll wake in the morning and find that Harrison went home. She never wants to discuss any of this again.  

Sylvie knows she is a fool to think that might happen.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is unprecedented! Two chapters in one day! Even I am impressed. But I got inspiration to write and just couldn't seem to stop. 
> 
> Again, to those of you who continue to read and comment, thank you. I greatly appreciate it. Receiving feedback really helps me out as I develop this story, knowing that others are enjoying it. Please continue to do so!


	13. Chapter 13

“So, her ex is here? In Chicago? And he wants her back. He said that?” Casey rattles off of series of questions, obviously trying to wrap his head around the situation, the same as Kelly.

Kelly nods, knocking the back of his head against the wall he’s leaning against. He knows how crazy all of this sounds. “Uh huh." 

He can’t believe this. Thirty hours removed from when Sylvie first told him her ex-fiancé has shown up at their apartment door and he still feels confused as hell. Kelly never even knew Sylvie was engaged. He has so many questions but has yet to ask that. It’s not any of his business. Sylvie isn’t his girlfriend. He’s not even sure he would consider them friends. For weeks now, they’ve been operating in this state of limbo that is starting to give Kelly vertigo. She doesn’t owe him an explanation. If her ex-fiancé is around and she wants to be with him, Kelly would just have to be okay with that. Except, he really isn’t and she made it explicitly clear the other night that she doesn’t want to see Harrison, that she is not interested in having him around. It’s obvious that Sylvie is shaken by his arrival and Kelly wants to understand why Harrison is here at all, why he decided to show up out of the blue and disturb Sylvie’s new life. Kelly may not be her boyfriend but he cares about he and would never wish for her to be upset or hurt.

“What does that mean? Have the two of you talked about it?” Sitting at his desk, opposite of Kelly, Casey is beyond curious.

Kelly’s head is spinning. He wish he knew the answer to that question. He doesn’t even know if Harrison is still in town or if he plans on sticking around to win Sylvie back. Kelly fucking hopes that wasn’t the case. “I don’t know, man. It’s so fucking complicated.” Nothing about that statement is an exaggeration. 

Casey chuckles but Kelly isn’t nearly as amused. This is his real life, the matters that keep him up at night, that consumed his every thought, both at work and home. Nothing about this is funny. “I don’t think it’s complicated at all.” Kelly has no clue what that means. If his friend has any advice to offer, Kelly is all ears. "You like her, Sev. I told you that weeks ago.” Dropping his pen, Casey leans back in his chair and turns it to see his friend better. The smirk on his face pisses Kelly off.  

Casey isn’t entirely wrong. Kelly likes Sylvie. He really fucking likes Sylvie. But it’s so much more complicated than that. “It’s not that simple.” He wishes it was. 

Kelly wishes he could say he hasn’t done his share of sleeping around, but that would be a lie. Relationships and monogamy have never been his thing and that method to his madness had been working just fine. Until he wandered into a bar that wasn’t Molly’s and met a blonde that lit his dull world on fire. but he’s done his fair share of sleeping around. Sylvie came along and all of his previous plans and methods were thrown out the window. He has no plan to fuck up this relationship. Not this time. They have a child to consider. Kelly can’t just act on his feelings without thinking about the consequences, his very strong feelings for Sylvie. If it didn’t work out, they wouldn’t be able to walk away, unscathed, from something like that. 

Obviously, Matt thinks otherwise. “But it is. The two of you are just dragging out the inevitable here. Everyone thinks so."

That comment gets Kelly’s attention. Straightening his back, he stands up tall. "What does that mean?” He genuinely wants to know. 

From across the hall, someone yells that lunch is ready and Casey perks up at the sound of that. Having been at 51 for going on twenty-four hours now, he has to be hungry. Hunger and a need for sleep is not a combination that does well around a firehouse. At a moment notice, they could be called to a scene and are responsible for making sure everyone walks away alive. At all times, they have to be on top of their game. 

Matt stands up from his chair, approaching Kelly. “All I’m saying is there's nothing wrong with some good gossip.” Rushing past him, Casey laughs.

Kelly isn’t a fan of being mocked.

* * *

Kelly can’t wait to take a shower. His entire body aches and the dirt and dust and remnants of smoke are starting to irritate his skin. Simply put, he’s dirty and tired. 

The fire they just responded to moved quickly and had consumed most of the apartment by the time Truck 81 and Squad 3 arrived. Sylvie and Dawson were called away to another scene earlier and wouldn’t be able to respond. As a result, paramedics from another house were dispatched. Unfortunately, they were not as skilled or efficient as what everyone at 51 is used to. A middle-age woman and her husband were pulled out of the fire and were in need of medical attention. Sadly, the replacement paramedics were overwhelmed by the quantity of patients they needed to tend to, resulting in a state of panic and hysteria to set in for everyone at the scene. 

Luckily, since a few individuals from 51 have their experience with offering medical treatments, they were able to triage the individuals and take care of everyone quickly, Before today, Kelly never realized just how much they all take advantage of Gabby and Sylvie. The two women are experienced and skilled and confident. There is never a situation that they can’t handle. Kelly plans to make sure Sylvie knows just how truly impressive he thinks she is. 

When both vehicles pulled back into the bay of the firehouse, Kelly’s attention is immediately directed towards where Sylvie stands by the main doors. Her body language is tense and uncomfortable. Standing in front of her, there is a man Kelly has never seen before. A feeling of jealousy rushes through him. _Harrison_.

Jumping down and out of the squad truck, Kelly removes his jacket and boots and replaces them with the shoes he wore earlier. All the while, his eyes remain locked on Sylvie. Luckily, no one else is paying too much attention to the two of them, entirely unaware of the complicated relationship she and Harrison share. As desperate as Kelly is for that shower, he begins to walk over to them instead. Truthfully, he doesn’t  have any intention of jumping into the conversation unless he suspects that Sylvie wants Harrison to leave and he’s not responsive to the idea. That is until the tone in Sylvie’s voice alerts Kelly to her discomfort. For as badly as she seems to want Harrison to leave, Kelly wants it even more now. 

“This is where I work, Harrison. You can’t just show up here.” Her words are sharp. She is capable of handing this on her own. 

Still, Kelly continues to approach. 

When she hears his footsteps, Sylvie does a double take. He can’t distinguish her expression at first. Does she want his help? Does she want to be left alone? He has no clue. She furrows her eyebrows and takes a deep breath. Kelly nods her way. They’ll be okay. He will offer any support he can and make sure it’s felt.  

Rather than being the one to extend an olive branch to the other man, Kelly waits for Harrison to do so. He already hates the sight of the guy and he didn’t know a damn thing about him. Really, all Kelly needs to know is that he makes Sylvie uncomfortable. 

Recognition passes over Harrison’s face. "Ah! This must be Kelly.”

Kelly can already tell he’s a smug bastard. He’d love to wipe that cocky smile off his face.  

Kelly didn’t have any expectations for when he finally met Harrison, but he can already tell this is not going to go well. The tension is palpable. Sylvie squirms between them. Harrison is a few inches shorter than Kelly, with darker hair since Kelly’s has gone gray in places. The other man is clean-shaven, looking to be closer to Sylvie’s age than Kelly is. Though he’s not too much older than her, there are a few years of separation between them. As much as he hates it, Kelly is intimidated by Harrison. He is younger and not unattractive and he and Sylvie shared a history once upon a time in Indiana. Those are all hard factors for Kelly to argue against. Of course, Sylvie is not a prize to be won. Kelly just wants to support her in this.

With his feet planted firmly and his arms crossed over his chest, Kelly confirms the man's suspicions with a nod of his head. Running his hand over his mouth, Harrison chuckles. In order to keep himself from saying something he shouldn’t, Kelly clenches his jaw and bites his tongue.

"The girl sure moves on fast.” With a smirk and a raise of his eyebrow, Harrison leans towards Kelly and slaps him on his upper arm, as though this is high school and this is gossip hour. 

They are not friends and they are definitely not on the same side here. There is a reason Kelly and Sylvie stand side by side and Harrison is standing opposite of them. A line has been drawn in the sand. “Did you enjoy my sloppy seconds? Was she any good?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Kelly can see Sylvie’s entire body go stiff. No one deserves to be talked to like that, especially her. Right then and there, Kelly resists the urge to flatten Harrison. 

He is done playing nice. "I'd stop talking if I were you.” Kelly does his best to contain his anger but his blood is starting to boil and he could only be pushed so far. “Why'd you even come here, man?"

Turning away from Kelly then, Harrison looks at Sylvie, though she does not match his gaze. Kelly could see her lips quiver. He already doesn’t like this Harrison guy and now he has made Sylvie cry. 

"To get her back. To convince her that all of this was a mistake.” Kelly is baffled by the man’s confidence, as though no time as passed between them and she has not moved on.

But has she really? Kelly can’t be sure. 

Maybe Sylvie still wants to be with Harrison and Kelly was just a notch on her belt and she is too nice of a person to help him realize that. Feeling as though this would be Sylvie’s place to interfere, to set the record straight, one way or the other, Kelly refrains from saying anything else. Both Harrison and himself watch Sylvie and wait. But she doesn’t  say anything. She doesn’t do anything. Honestly, Kelly isn’t even sure she moved. Stunned silent, she looks like a statue beside him.

“Well, that’s not going to happen.” Taking matters into his own hands, Kelly makes a decision. He won’t let Sylvie slip through his fingers so easily.  

Harrison scoffs. "Right. And you made damn sure of that.” Kelly doesn’t make any effort to hide his confusion.What the fuck was this guy talking about?“You know, knocking her up and all.” Kelly can hardly believe Harrison has the nerve to mention her pregnancy. Beside him, Sylvie groans. Obviously, she hadn’t wanted Kelly to find out Harrison knows. “What? Condoms not really your thing?"

“Harrison, don’t be a ass.” No time at all passes before Sylvie interjects, speaking for the first time since Kelly stumbled upon their conversation. She is defending him to her ex-fiancé. Kelly wonders what that means. 

Still, Kelly is unfazed by Harrison’s comment. He won’t explain himself to this asshole. All that matters is what Sylvie believes. "You don't know a damn thing about me.” He shrugs, but it’s not because he is unsure. He just doesn’t care. 

Harrison throws out his bottom lip and nods, clearly annoyed that his smug comment hadn’t burned Kelly like he intended. “I know she's too good for you.” Kelly won’t disagree there. “You'll break her heart and she'll come running back. To me.” To emphasize his point, Harrison used his finger to point between them. 

Kelly hates how simple Harrison’s assessment of Sylvie seems to be, as though she is incapable of being alone and independent. By doing so, the man does her a disservice. It feels as though Harrison never knew the person Kelly has come to. Because, baby or not, the simple truth is that Sylvie does not need either of them. "She's a lot stronger than you give her credit for.”

“Don't stand here and act like you know her." 

Kelly will be the first to admit there is a lot they need to learn about each other, but the foundation is there. They can build something. "At least I respect her." Kelly doesn’t back down, thoroughly pissed off at this point. 

What Sylvie does next shocks the hell out of Kelly. She places her hand over his forearm, prompting him to unfold his arms. Once he does, Sylvie runs her fingers down his arm and interlocks her fingers with his in one fluid motion. Kelly hides his shock well and turns to look at her. She is looking straight at him, a bright smile on her face.

Harrison sees all of this and does not like it.

“You’re kidding yourself if you think she’ll keep you around.” Now, he’s going for the jugular, saying whatever he can to get a rise out of them. "You’re nothing more than a sperm donor to her.” 

And it works because what Kelly does next, he’s not proud of. 

His fist makes contact with Harrison’s cheek and nose and, as it does, he can feel all of the anger and tension in his body vanish. 

“Hey, wait! No! Stop!” Sylvie’s frantic yelling wasn’t enough to break him out of his blind rage.

The next few seconds are blur where Kelly and Harrison are all over each other. Though Kelly landed his fair share of punches, he didn’t anticipate leaving this fight unscathed. Somewhere in the distance, Sylvie is still urging them to stop this, panic in her voice. Harrison punches Kelly across his eyebrow and the latter man can feel the skin there break on contact. Before long, blood os dripped down his eyelid, clouding his vision. Responding to the scuffle quickly, Kelly could somewhat make out Cruz, Casey, and Dawson as they rush over. While the two men jump in and attempt to separate Harrison and Kelly, Gabby pulls Sylvie out of the way. 

Kelly doesn’t think he’s ever been so angry in all of his life. In this moment, he hates Harrison for suggesting that Sylvie is taking advantage of him, that she is weak and that the two of them are fooling themselves. There isn’t anyone in the world that knows a thing about how Kelly and Sylvie feel about one another except for the two of them. It is their relationship, their baby, no one else’s business but their own. Hearing Harrison talk about something he doesn’t have the first clue about made Kelly’s blood pressure rise. 

Eventually, Casey grabs a hold of Kelly and pulled him off Harrison. Cruz stands between them and checks on Harrison where he is still on the ground. He is breathing heavily and moaning in pain. His nose is bloodied and his left eye is already bruised. Kelly hadn’t thought he hit Harrison that hard. Now removed from the fight, blinding pain shot through the knuckles on his right hand, alerting him to just how much power he actually put behind his punches. All around them, people are gathering and watching as the situation unfolded.  

Despite all this, Kelly is only concerned with finding Sylvie, with making sure she’s alright. Blood is dropping down his face and his ears are ringing. Then, a pair of small hands rest on his cheeks and he no longer feels any of it. 

“Are you okay?” Before Sylvie can get a word in, Kelly has to know if she is alright. He’s still catching his breath and is forced to lean over, resting his hands on his knees.

“Me?! What about you?” Sylvie’s voice is shaking and sounds higher than normal. Kelly hasn’t meant to scare her. Her fingertips touch just above his eyebrow where the blood is coming from, causing Kelly to draw back in pain. “You’re gonna need stitches.” 

He groans. _Fuck_. Of course he needs stitches. He can’t believe this. Currently, all Kelly wants was a shower, some ice, and for Harrison to leave Chicago as fast as possible. He can’t stand the sight of the guy.

Kelly stumbles  backwards, pushing her hand away from his face. There is no reason fro her to fret over him. He’d been in his share of fights before. Give him a few days andKelly will be as good as new. “It’s fine. I’m fine. Don’t worry about it.”

Sylvie isn’t buying it. Kelly was dumb to believe he could actually fool her.  

Practically everyone at 51 has gathered around the three of them now, watching their every move. They’ve drawn so much attention to themselves. There isn’t going to be an easy way for them to diffuse this situation.

Leave it to Sylvie, surprising Kelly once again, to be the one who up to the task. Kelly fight the urge to draw her back into him when Sylvie steps out in front of him. A few feet away, Harrison has yet to get up from off the floor. Bending at the knees, Sylvie lowers herself to his level. Kelly can sense the anticipation in the room, himself included.  

“Harrison…you have to leave.” She whispers, but Kelly can make it out, standing just a few feet away. 

Appeared appealed by her instructions, Harrison’s expression tightens. “Are you kidding? You're really going to stand up for this guy, Sylvie?” He throws his hand out emphatically and points at Kelly.

Sylvie shakes her head. "This has nothing to do with him.” She emphasizes every word, to make sure Harrison is really hearing her. “You’re leaving because I am asking you to leave. I don’t want to have anything to do with you anymore."

"I don't believe that.”

In terms of stubbornness, Harrison could give Kelly a run for his money. Maybe Sylvie does have a type after all.

"Go home. I don't know what you were expecting when you came out her, but I’m not leaving with you.” Sylvie grabs Harrison’s hand, squeezes it and lets go. "My home is in Chicago now.” In one swift motion, she rises to her feet and turns on her heel.

The entire room watches as Sylvie closes the difference between her and Kelly before she holds her hand out to him. A second later, he meets her in the middle, takes a hold of it and follows her as she walks away. 

There is so much they still have to figure out, but Kelly and Sylvie are a united front and they didn’t care who knows it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter makes me nervous. Let me know what you thought!


	14. Chapter 14

"That was stupid,” Sylvie makes sure he knows this as she walks out of the kitchen, having grabbed a bag of frozen vegetables from the fridge. “You really shouldn’t have done that." Referring to his fight with Harrison, Sylvie sits down next to him on the couch and places the cold bag on top of his red knuckles forcefully, to prove a point. 

Kelly hisses and glares at her. She doesn’t pay it much attention. “Don’t care. He doesn't get to talk about you like that." As he adjusts the bag on his hand somewhat, he assures her. Once he is pleased with the placement, Kelly turns to look at her again. "I’d do it again."

And Sylvie believes him. She believes he means every word. 

The day has felt like one of the longest ever and as she shifts her body towards him and pulls her legs into her chest, her every muscle screams. She bends her arm at the elbow and places it behind his back, on the ledge of the couch. She supports her head with her fist. She can’t believe how tired she feels. At the same time, Sylvie can’t help but pay attention to how close they are sitting. Kelly is just a few inches away and it doesn’t feel weird or awkward like she expects it to. It feels almost domestic, like they are a married couple, updating each other about the events of their day. Except, they are definitely not married…or a couple for that matter.                                                         

“You punched my ex-fiancé.” Of course, he is well aware of this fact. Kelly has bruises and three stitches as a reminder.

Kelly tilts his head to one side and smirks. Obviously, he is amused by all of this, just the same as her. “Yeah.” 

She may not be proud of it, but there is a question Sylvie is dying to ask. “Did it feel good? To hit him?” She narrows her eyes, waits and studies his expression. _Judgement_. He is definitely judging her. Like she said, she’s not proud of this line of questioning. “Because I enjoyed it."

Instead of laughing like Sylvie anticipated, Kelly looks away and takes to fixing the makeshift ice back again. He’s deep in thought. Clearly, there’s something bothering him, but she would never try to pry that information out of him. He would have to offer it up willingly. 

His eyes remain locked on his hand. Sylvie can tell he is deliberately avoiding eye contact. “Do you still love him?” Shocking the hell out of her, Kelly’s question comes from left field. 

By far, this is the most insecure Kelly has ever looked around Sylvie. _Wait._ Is he jealous? No. There’s not possible. Throwing his injured arm up, the bag of vegetables flies through the air. He turns the same hand over to catch it before chucking it onto the coffee table in front of him. Sylvie wants to tell him that’s not smart, that he should keep ice on the bruises to help with the swelling,  

“If there was no baby, if we weren’t - “ Kelly stops himself mid-sentence, to look at her, to maybe gauge her reaction.

Sylvie is sure there’s more he wants to say. “I still wouldn’t go back to him.” That’s the truth and Kelly needs to know. For a long time, Sylvie has known the status of her relationship with Harrison for a while. They are long over.

Luckily, Kelly seems satisfied with her answer. “Okay.”  

And then a wave of silence washes over them both. The only sounds to hear come from outside the apartment where, down on the streets, car horns ring out. Thankfully, the standoff doesn’t last long. Eventually, Kelly closes the gap between them on the couch and there is a poignancy that lingers in the space between their bodies. He wants to reach out and touch her. He wants to hold her. Kelly would give anything to hold her body against his own. Since the night they met, all Kelly can seem to think about is doing exactly that. She’s ruined him, without even trying.  

Whether she knows it or not, Sylvie arrived in Chicago and changed his entire world. Kelly couldn’t possibly count on one hand the amount of times he’s been in this exact position before, wanting to kiss Sylvie. More often than not, he wants to kiss her - really kiss her - but resists the urge. It’s just better that way. But who is he kidding? Sylvie is amazing and beautiful and strong and fucking sexy as hell. He’s tried to convince himself that he doesn’t want to be with her like this, that it would be better if he keeps his distance, but it’s not even about the sex. It’s not about them sharing passionate moments like this. It’s about so much more than that.

Kelly wants Sylvie. As much as it scares the hell out of him, Kelly wants it more than that. He wants her and their child, to be with them for real. In this moment now, neither of them speak. They exist in silence, slowly being swallowed by the tension they’ve created. Kelly can’t believe how badly he wants her.

And then, her soft lips brush against his and his mind goes blank. Nothing else matter when Sylvie’s mouth is against his own. Kelly could get used to this. He loves when Sylvie takes initiative and jumps off the cliff first. Over the years, Kelly has kissed a lot of girls and he does not admit that to build up his ego or to prove a point. Because with her, with Sylvie, it’s like he’s never kissed anyone else before. She is new and exciting, and he gets lost in her each time she offers him the chance. Kelly lowers his head, adjusting himself to make their height difference less of a problem. Meeting him halfway, Sylvie stands on her toes and wraps her arms around his waist. Kelly can feel the roundness of her baby bump against his abdomen then, making him smile without much thought. Matching the attention she’s showing him, Kelly’s palm lands on Sylvie’s cheek, his thumb resting behind her ear. Without hesitation, he pulls her closer. She moans and Kelly wonders how she managed to stay away from her for so long.  

As he leans further into her, Sylvie is forced to arch her back. They both laugh. She stumbles a bit when Kelly begins to walk backwards, moving them through the apartment. Her heart is racing. She can’t believe this might actually happen. All the same, she definitely wants this to happen. It is times like these, when she’s kissing Kelly, that she wonders why they spent so much time not doing this. Because they’re damn good at it. Their bodies, their mouths, they just seem to fit together. Sylvie wants to soak up every second of this, of him, in case he decides he’s not interested anymore and pulls away.

She wants this to happen. It would be like scratching an itch.

Her body feels hot, vibrating each time his fingers touched her skin. Eventually, they enter his bedroom and Kelly took it upon himself to kiss other parts of her body. Her neck, her shoulders, her collarbone. Sylvie is careful not to touch around his eyebrow when her hands wander into his hair. The last thing she would want is for him to pull away because she caused him pain. Obviously, what they are about to do is designed for pleasure. As he continues to kiss her wherever there is skin available, Sylvie’s hands move down to the buckle of his belt. Impressing even herself, she manages to pull the band of leather out of the loops of his jeans in a record amount of time. It must be the hormones. Plus, Kelly had looked so damn sexy since he essentially sent Harrison running back to Indiana. 

Sex with Kelly might be exactly what Sylvie needs. 

The kisses grow more aggressive, as though she is oxygen and he’s been stuck underwater for a few minutes too long. Kelly is a beautiful man and has lived any entire life before he met her. Sylvie tries not to think about the other women that have been with him in this way before. She knows she doesn’t have any right to be jealous, but Sylvie still wants to make sure he enjoys himself. No longer feeling the need to tiptoe around this, Sylvie makes use of her tongue and loves the reaction she gets. His strong, rugged hands ran over her upper arms, shoulders and the back of her neck. A few of his fingers fumble around with the hair band that has kept her hair contained in a ponytail. Soon, Kelly manages to unwrap it, causing shivers to consume Sylvie as strands of hair fall over her shoulders. Every part of her is on high alert. 

For just a second, they pull away from each other. Sylvie feels breathless, resting her forehead against his chin and Kelly kisses the top of her head. Over the last couple of weeks, she’s fantasized about this moment a lot. Kelly is not a vulnerable man. No matter what, he always manages to keep himself composed. Getting him to open up about anything at all is damn near impossible. Even if he does not intend to do so, when Sylvie offers a mile, he counters with an inch. Still, Sylvie understands. It’s just in his nature. 

Without her consciously realizing, Sylvie’s fingers find their way under the hem of his t-shirt, coming to rest over his sculpted stomach. She has no doubt Kelly is the fittest man she’s ever been with. And, if Sylvie remembers correctly, he is quite skilled with this sort of stuff. Kelly Severide knows his way around a woman’s body. Once upon a time, she had sworn they would never do this again, especially after the night she told him she was pregnant. For so long, they have resisted. Sylvie draws in a few replenishing breaths as Kelly pulls off his shirt and throws it aside. Surely, he is going to be the death of her. He looks like something straight of GQ magazine. 

Instead of resuming what they’d been doing, Kelly stays where he is. _No, he doesn’t get to do this_. He doesn’t get to stop what they were doing now. Sylvie knows that if she lets him talk, if she allows him to overthink this, he would say something about not wanting to push her, about not wanting her to do anything she doesn’t want to. Kelly will be the noble guy. She can already see the gears in his brain turning. Rather than wait for him to start things up again, Sylvie does it for him. She takes a step forward and crashes into him, one of her hands wrapping around his neck. The other runs up and down his chest, unable to mask her eagerness. Luckily, he melts back into her and all is right in the world again.

Even still, he pulls away. Sylvie doesn’t mean to, but she groans. She’s not supposed to be annoyed right now. “Wait…we don’t have to do this.“ Kelly rushes the words out in between the kisses she initiated. 

In the moment, Sylvie kind of hates him. _Why is he talking?_ She really needs him to stop talking. For weeks, they’ve been playing this game of push and pull and now, Sylvie is ready to scratch her itch. 

“Shut up.” She’s not always such a nice girl. 

“Brett - “ 

Kelly knows what he is doing by using her last name. He is playing a game that isn’t fair. They are not at work where he is technically her superior and could make her follow his commands. Actually, now that she’s thought about, that could also be fun. 

“Stop talking.” This time, it’s Sylvie’s turn to hand out instructions.

He doesn’t put up much of a fight as she walks them over to the bed. Like a lost puppy, Kelly follows along, as though he is desperate for a chew toy. Once he’d run out of room between the back of his legs and the bed, Kelly’s knees buckled, leaving him with no choice but to sit down on the mattress. Since he is wearing nothing more than his jeans now, Sylvie is so taken by the sight of him. He looks incredible and he cares about her. He even told her so once.  

 _“And it’s not just about the baby. I care about you.”_  

Feeling brave, under his watchful eye, Sylvie removes her shirt and lets it drop to the floor. Standing there, nestled between his knees, she only wears a bra from the waist up now. Thanking all of her lucky stars, Sylvie is glad she put one of her expensive bras on this morning. These days, that has been a rarity. The one she wears is black with lace detailing. Kelly probably doesn’t care what her looks like anyway since it will be coming off momentarily.

Somehow, Sylvie maneuvers herself, settling into his lap. Kelly’s desire for her is clear to her now. Her fingernails trace circles over his shoulder blades. She wants so badly to start kiss him again, to pick up where they left off, she doesn’t. Taken by the sight of her bare belly, Kelly might need a moment. Though it hasn’t grown much since it first made its appearance a week or so ago, it is definitely there. For a while, he just stares at it. This is, after all, the first time he’s truly seen it. Unlike Sylvie, he hasn’t been given the time to get used to this new change yet. 

Drawing one of her hands back, Sylvie tucks her hand underneath his chin, forcing him to look up at her. Kelly looks like he’s seen a ghost. Her left thumb strokes his cheek while his other hands finds one of his, meeting on her hip. All the while, she never breaks eye contact and brings his hand to her stomach Initially, Kelly looks hesitant, as though he is crossing a boundary and might be uncomfortable. Sensing this, Sylvie nods, encouraging him. She wants him to know that she would never exclude him from any of this. This is just as much his journey as it will be hers. As his thumb starts to wander over her bare skin where their child grows, the smallest smile pulls at the corner of Kelly’s lips.  

Sylvie knows she is in trouble. So much trouble. If she hadn’t already thought so, she’s absolutely sure of it now. Somewhere along the line, Sylvie fell in love with him. 

_Dammit._

* * *

Sylvie has another doctor’s appointment where her blood is drawn and her height and weight are recorded before a nurse leads them into an examination room. For a few minutes, they are left to their own devices before Sylvie’s doctor walks through the door, greets them and gets straight to business. Clearly, he is a busy man. 

“And are we wanting to find out the gender today?” At some point during the sonogram, the question is asked, only after they are informed that everything is looking healthy and there’s nothing to be concerned about. “You’re 18 weeks now…if you’d like to know, we could do that for you today." 

At first, Kelly and Sylvie stare at one another, neither knowing how to respond. They hadn’t been expecting this question to come today. Since the very beginning, they’ve been flying by the seat of their pants and making things up as they go. For some reason, Kelly waits for Sylvie to respond, wanting this to be her decision. Even if they don’t find out today, he’s already heard everything he needs to know. Both Sylvie and the baby are healthy. Nothing else matters.

While biting down on her lip, she makes a decision and nods and releases a heavy breath. “Sure. Yeah. You can tell us.” Sylvie is anxious but ready.

Kelly joins his hand with hers, ignoring the pain that radiates in still somewhat injured hand when her fingers graze over them unintentionally. Even though it does matte either way, they are seconds away from finding out the gender of their baby. Either way, Kelly knows he is screwed. The thought of having a daughter scares the shit out of him. He wouldn’t even know where to begin in order to raise a little girl. Then again, having a boy, a Severide boy at that, makes him feel queasy.

Staring at the monitor closely, the doctor moves the wand over Sylvie’s belly with intent. “Okay,” _Holy shit_. This is it. “It looks like the two of you have a baby boy on your hands.” 

As though she has no control over her reaction, Sylvie gasps, only to quickly cover her mouth with her hand. They all laugh. "It's a boy?!" Her excitement is evident.  

"Sure is.” Her doctor turns to look at them both, a wide smile stretched across his face. This is likely the best part of his job, giving anxious parents good news. “Congratulations." 

Sylvie’s eyes remain locked on the monitor beside the bed she lays on. An image of their baby is still on the screen though her doctor has finished the ultrasound and wiped the gel off of Sylvie’s belly. She can hardly believe it. They are having a baby boy. A son. It’s almost too insane to think about.

This is real. This is happening. And no matter what, they are going to be ready when this baby arrives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your views and comments and kudos are so appreciated!


	15. Chapter 15

Katie Nolan can’t say she’s surprised that her older brother, Kelly Severide, forgot she is supposed to return to Chicago for the weekend today. Even though they’ve been planning this visit for almost a month now and she called him to remind him last week, he was still shocked to see her this morning. Not since she left Chicago last time have they seen each other. Since, Katie has settled into her new job and is enjoying her new sense of normal and even though she’s still getting used to having a big brother, she misses him every day, as well as the friends she once made here.  

Just a few days ago, they talked about meeting at 51 before his shift just as soon as she came into town. When he pulled up to the firehouse, she stepped out of her own driver seat and met him on the sidewalk. As soon as he sees her, his guilt and shame is evident. Even though Katie is sure he didn’t mean to forget her impending arrival, teasing him about it is fun. Each reeling from their own traumatic experiences, the last year or so has been hard for them both. Without a doubt, Katie was changed as a person as a result of her kidnapping and attack. The same could be said for Kelly after Shay’s death. Because Leslie is gone, he is different now, for better or for worse. Once upon a time, Katie had once been a witness to her brother’s friendship with Shay, a relationship to be envious of.

As they walk through the halls of the firehouse, Kelly’s palm run over the back of his neck, a nervous tick Katie has become privy to. “Again, I’m sorry.” Even though she has reassured him at least a dozen times that she doesn’t mind, he still feels guilty. “I’ve just been a bit preoccupied lately.” Confirming his suspicions, Kelly admits to having a lot on her mind. 

“With what?!” Katie is instantly curious since Kelly isn’t huge on picking up the phone to update his sister about the affairs of his life. When an opportunity presents itself to learn more, she takes advantage.

Eventually, they round a corner and walk into the kitchen. Since it is close to lunch time, the room is bustling with people and commotion. Looking around, Katie recognizes a few individuals, Matt and Gabby and…Otis. For just a moment, their eyes meet and he smiles her way, calming Katie’s nerves. Though this isn’t the first time they’ve seen each other since they ended their relationship, it is no less awkward. No matter what, Katie will always want the best for him. Otis was always good to her and she would not soon forget that.

They walk over to the table where all of the food is laid out and Katie notices how Kelly’s attention is drawn away from the plate he holds now. Following his line of sight, she sees a woman entire the room. Her hair is blonde, and she is wearing a uniform, looking down at the binder in her hands.

“Sylvie!” Kelly calls out and the girl immediately looks up. Even from far away, Katie can tell she is pretty. He proceeds to wave her over. Before long, this mysterious woman has crossed the room and stands before them. "Brett, this is my sister, Katie. Brett works as a paramedic at 51.” Both women nod, acknowledging his quick introductions. 

Katie finds she’s not really concerned with what this woman does for a living as she is with why her brother is looking at her like she is the air he needs for survival. _Interesting_.

Sylvie’s eyebrows rise exponentially into her hairline. Thought Katie doesn’t know this woman from any other, she can tell she is nervous. She takes to brushing her hair out of her face. “Oh, wow! Hi!” Her hand stretches out in front of her. Katie took it in her own and shakes it. “It’s nice to meet you.”

They both smile, and Katie offers the same message. Clearly, this is someone Kelly cares about and Katie can see why. She is a beautiful woman with long, blonde hair and striking eyes. She’s also pregnant. At first, Katie hadn’t noticed the bump that is now hidden behind the binder she holds close to her chest. It’s not until she adjusts it to hold it under her arm that her slightly rounded belly comes into view. She’s not too big yet, but Katie wonders how far along Brett is. Some women are even lucky enough to go their entire pregnancy without looking as though she hadn’t done anything more than consume a large meal.  

“It’s Sylvie. You can call me Sylvie.” She clarifies, stumbling over her words somewhat. Next, Brett looks at her watch and seems displeased with the time it reads. “Sorry, I don’t mean to rush away, but I’m late for a meeting.” She points a thumb over her shoulder, likely in the direction she had been heading before Kelly stopped her in her tracks.  

Katie nods in response, understanding. “Sure, no problem.” For some reason, she has a feeling this is not gonna be the last time she sees this woman.

An exchange of pleasant smiles occurs and then, Sylvie is on her way and Kelly watches her leave. Seeing Kelly so smitten is interesting to Katie. Once Sylvie has walked far enough away and vanishes from their view, both Katie and Kelly turn back to face the assortment of foods on the counter. 

"She's pretty.” Nonchalantly, Katie makes him known of this opinion.

She imagines it is something that does not need to be said though. Kelly likely knows just how pretty is, judging by the woman’s baby bump. Without being provided the details, Katie quickly figured out for herself that Kelly is the father of Sylvie’s baby. Anyone with eyes can see that the two of them are involved, though the true extent of their relationship would have to come later. As crazy as all of this seems, Kelly looks happy and content, less of that pain that usually weighs him down seems to linger.

"Who?” 

 _Oh no._ He didn’t get to play dumb at a time like this. It’s not becoming.

Katie rolls her eyes. “You know who. The one who made you light up like a Christmas tree.” While still holding onto her plate, now filled with food, she nudges at Kelly’s side with her elbow. Sometimes, it is so funny to Katie that for such a tough guy, he can be such an easy target.  

Although Kelly tries to wipe away the smirk that appears on his face, Avoiding all contact, Kelly shrugs and shakes his head. "I don't know what you're talking about." 

“Sure you don’t.” 

He really is unbelievable. How long did he think he’ll be able to keep up this act? Katie follows closely behind as he walks over to a few empty seats nearby where they can eat their lunch. “C’mon, spill…what’s going on there?” Truly, the suspense is killing Katie. When she first planned this visit, she never expected to arrive in Chicago and learn such interesting developments. 

Finally, giving in to her insistence, Kelly breaks, dropping his fork down onto his plate. "It's a long story."

That doesn’t matter. She has time. 

* * *

 

When Sylvie walks into the locker room hours later to find Katie sitting in front of her locker, her eyes grow two times their normal size.

Sensing her anxiety, Katie smiles at her, hoping Sylvie can recognize that nothing about this is meant to be an ambush. She is pregnant with her brother’s child and that matters to Katie. If she were in Brett’s shoes, Katie is sure she would not be handling things as well as Sylvie is. Having a child is scary enough as it is, letting along finding out she was pregnant after spending the night with a stranger - as Kelly had explained. Already, Sylvie’s plate is full, and Katie does not want to add any unnecessary stress on top of that. Genuinely, her only interest is to offer friendship and support. 

Whether Sylvie knows it or not yet, they are family now. 

Hesitantly, Sylvie walks over to the bench and takes the seat beside Katie. "He told me.” Figuring it would be best to initiate some sort of conversation quickly, Katie begins. She would never dream of judging Brett, knowing that sometimes, life is complicated and rolling with the punches is necessary.

"He did?” 

Katie nods. 

Sylvie throws her hands up to her face, groaning. “Oh my god! You probably think I'm some slut, who is trying to trap him or something…” The words rush out of her so quickly, Katie struggles to make sense of them.

“No!” _Where did that assumption come from?_. “I don’t think that at all.” Katie wraps one of her hands around Sylvie’s, hoping to reassure her. Thankfully, Brett relaxes then. “I think the two of you have a lot to figure out without any extra judgement. I just think you could use a friend."

Sylvie eyes begin to well up with tears, displaying her fear. Katie knows she’s scared. Though Kelly had explained everything to his sister with some excitement, there’s also more he’s trying to hide. Already, Katie knows they are going to be the best parents. If they weren’t scared about being first-time parents, they would not be human. In a matter of months, their entire lives will change and their baby is going to be beautiful.  

"Plus, that kid is gonna be my niece or nephew. And I'm gonna spoil them like crazy.” The thought of having a new family member to fawn over warms Katie’s heart. 

“Nephew.”  

This time, it's Katie’s turn to be shocked, her eyes bulging out of her head. “What?”

“It’s a boy." Sylvie clarifies her statement. "We’re having a boy.” 

For whatever reason, Kelly hadn’t mentioned that part earlier. She can hardly blame him though; there was a lot to reveal. Katie can hardly believe this. Her brother is going to a son and he is going to do exactly that with the greatest girl. Deep down inside, she already knows this to be true.

If her brother doesn’t already, Katie loves Sylvie. 

Sylvie could get used to having Katie around. In every sense of the phrase, she will always be a welcomed guest.  

Though Kelly mentioned she would only be in town for the weekend, Sylvie would have no objections if she planned to extend her stay. Already, Kelly’s younger sister has been so sweet and supportive of this crazy situation her brother and Sylvie find themselves in. Then again, as far as welcomed guests go, Katie does not have much competition if she were being compared to Harrison from a few weeks ago. 

* * *

Sylvie’s shift ends before Kelly, so she brings Katie back to their apartment when she leaves. A few hours later, Kelly walk through the front door to find Sylvie and his sister sitting on the couch, looking like friends who have none each other for years. In unison, they laugh at whatever television show they’re watching. Without offering any sort of greeting, Kelly plops down on the couch next to Sylvie, leaving her to sit in between the siblings. At some point, the three of them will have to think about what to eat for dinner soon, he plans to shut his eyes until then, his exhaustion setting in. Genuinely, Kelly does not understand how Sylvie does a lot of the same tasks at work, while pregnant, and doesn’t come home every day and pass out. She’s practically a superhero. Thankfully, this second trimester has provided her more energy than the first. 

Sitting together like this, it feels natural. This is his life now and it is good. For the first time since Shay died, the pain of losing her is no longer the first thing he feels in the morning when he wakes up. Now, he comes home to Sylvie every day and that is more than enough. He can’t think of anything more he could want.

Out of nowhere, Sylvie gasps.  

More than anything, it sounded like she was shocked by something. Kelly’s eyes snap open at the sound, a similar look of concern on Katie’s face. Both of them face Sylvie and watch as her hand comes to rest on her stomach. Kelly can hardly breathe. His lungs feel like that are failing him. Sometime soon, he needs her to say something, to make this make sense.  

Sylvie’s eyes are wide, turned to look at where her hand is. She smiles. She looked down at where her hand rested and smiled. “I think the baby’s...he’s kicking.” A joyous sound escapes her.  

Almost immediately, Kelly can feel air in his lungs again. Katie smiles, too, sitting on the  opposite side of Sylvie. Together, they both watch in awe as she experiences this amazing development in her pregnancy for the first time. It’s times like these where Kelly feels incredibly lucky to be sharing all of this with Sylvie. They are having a baby, a baby boy and each time he remembers that fact, his heart clenches in his chest. Breaking out of her daze, Sylvie reaches for his hand and brings it to her belly.

At first, he doesn’t feel anything. 

And then it happens. 

Beneath his hand, Kelly feels a small flutter. It’s not much, but it definitely there. There’s no doubt it is a kick. A rush of euphoria fills Kelly, making his entire face light up as he grins from ear to ear. Sitting just a few feet away, his sister watches, beaming with pride. 

“Holy shit!” Kelly can’t help his outburst. This is insane; Sylvie is pregnant with their son and he is kicking for the first time, strong enough for them both to feel. 

“What does it feel like?” As a witness to their interaction, Katie voices her curiosity aloud. 

Sylvie is brutally honest, without hesitation. “So weird.” 

Kelly is sure he’ll remember this moment for the rest of his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was super excited to introduce Katie to this story! Her and Kelly's relationship in the show was so nice and I felt like her presence would help to calm him as him and Sylvie continue to try to make sense of everything. Plus, Sylvie really needs a girl friend.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am REALLY proud of this chapter! I struggled a bit to write it, but am so pleased with the end result. Let me know what you think!

It’s not until her stomach begins to growl that Sylvie realizes just how hungry she is. Taking advantage of the free time this shift has provided, she’s been sat in one of the firehouse’s meeting rooms for several hours, focusing on the paperwork she’s neglected in recent weeks. She knows she should think about taking a break soon but hates to think about losing valuable time to get this work accomplished. 

Breaking her out of her thoughts, the door behind her opens and Kelly appears, dressed in his favorite pair of black jeans and a simple grey t-shirt. Somehow, it never fails, even though Sylvie lives with this man and sees him every day, she stills find herself blown away by how attractive he really is. Also, it doesn’t help that her pregnancy hormones have made her all hot and bothered whenever he’s around. 

 _What is he doing here anyway?_ Today is supposed to be his day off.

As surprised as Sylvie is to see Kelly, the paper bag he holds in his hand quickly commands her attention instead. She can’t be sure, but Sylvie is almost positive there are french fries in that bag. Recently, her original craving for pizza subsided and gave way to her strong desire for a different greasy, unhealthy food. On occasion, Sylvie has found she’s okay with indulging, just as long as she doesn’t do so every time her body tries to convince her it needs certain foods. Just as soon as Kelly approaches the table she’s sitting behind and places the bag down in front of her, the smell of salt and grease confirms her hope. Instantly, she bursts into a smile.

Sylvie is sure she loves him now. 

He sits beside her, turning the spare chair to face her. As he does, Kelly leans forward to rest his forearms on his thighs. His smirk is hard to miss as she quickly abandons her paperwork and dives into the paper bag, desperate to reach the food as soon as possible. Sylvie doesn’t even care that he’s clearly laughing at her. She is starving and she’s growing another human being. She deserved this. Luckily, Kelly has superpowers and perfect timing, insuring she won’t have to choose between sustenance and responsibilities.

Without hesitation, Sylvie reaches into the carton of fries, grabs a few and they taste even better than she thought they would. The fries are so delicious, she practically moans.

“That good, huh?” Amused by her antics, Kelly asks.

She continues to chew, closes her eyes and nods, a satisfied smile plastered on her face. “That good.” Sylvie truly doesn’t know what she did right in this life to deserve someone who is so thoughtful. "Thank you for bringing these. I was starving.” 

Never one to accept a compliment, Kelly shrugs, watching her every movement. “Happy to.”  

With raised eyebrows and narrowed eyes and a finger pointed his way, Sylvie looks like she means business. “This is all your fault anyway.” Kelly fights the urge to laugh and sits up straight, pretending to be offended. “It’s _your_ baby that's making me fat.” She clarifies as she stuffs another fry into her mouth.  

Kelly revels in the sight of her, completely unashamed of how she looks as she eats her food. Appearing free of any inhibition, she even takes to licking some of the salt and such off her fingers.

Her assessment of her own body in its current state is both amusing and inaccurate. She’s already five months along and hardly has a bump to show for it. Though it’s obvious she is pregnant, her stomach hasn’t grown much since that first night they met, her small frame likely contributing to how her body is carrying the pregnancy. At least that’s what their doctor told Kelly when he expressed some of his concerns. 

“Brett, you're one of the smallest pregnant women I’ve ever seen.” Kelly chuckles.

He wishes there was a way to explain to her just how beautiful and amazing he thinks she is.

Reaching into the carton of fries after her, Kelly grabs a few for himself and devours them before Sylvie is able to distinguish what’s happened. Once she does, her jaw drops in mock shock, a comical expression on her face. It feels good to laugh and joke with her like this. This new development in their relationships feels natural and normal, making it easy to forget they’ve no each other less than six months. In all honestly, they grown quite comfortable with each other, by virtue of living _and_ working together no doubt. Slowly, Sylvie has learned about some of Kelly’s personality quirks and habits, just as he has done with her. She knows he takes the shortest showers in the world and is fond of coffee, Similarly, he often teases her for her fondness for watching crime shows. He jokes that he might start to sleep with one eye open just in case she decides to murder him, having learned a trick or two.

With a hand placed on her stomach, Sylvie leans back in her chair. “He’s been kicking a lot today.”

With each passing day, the baby’s kicks have grown stronger. So far, they aren’t painful, but before long, there wouldn’t be much room for him to move around as he desires. His little kicks have been Sylvie’s favorite part of this pregnancy. Without question, it’s the greatest thing she’s ever felt. Although she doesn’t yet know their child in a physical sense, she loves him so much already. He is a part of her and the bond they already share is unlike anything she’s ever known. Placing his own hand on top of Sylvie’s, Kelly imagines the feeling will never grow old. He can hardly believe how much time has already passed. Before they know it, Sylvie will be nine months pregnant and ready to deliver. He takes to rubbing his finger over the fabric of her shirt and she matches the motion.

“We’re going to have to start thinking about what his name should be.” Looking down at where their hands meet, where their son is, Sylvie appears deep in thought.

They have a lot to figure out, Kelly knows this. But, in this moment, he doesn’t want to think about anything but this. He wants nothing more than to be here, watching as she satisfies her craving and enjoys the feeling of their baby making his presence known. All at once, she looks so adorable and content and happy to be stuffing her face with food. 

Everything else can wait. 

* * *

 

There are certain things Sylvie needs to say to Kelly and it needs to happen tonight. 

Fearing that he might reject her can’t be an excuse anymore. She is tired of being afraid and doubting every move she makes. Kelly is an incredible man, one she has fallen in love with and she wants him to know. Though her realization of this fact happened weeks ago, it’s not exactly the easiest thing for someone to blurt out, especially in their peculiar situation. So, Sylvie has stalled and waited for the moment to be right, an effort she now realizes had been stupid. 

Today, without being asked, he came to the firehouse and fed her, doing something so thoughtful and genuine, Sylvie almost cried.  They flirted and laughed, making Sylvie realize she can no longer keep her feelings hidden. They are too strong, and this is too important. Kelly’s constant consideration of her, of her comfort and healthy and feelings warms her heart. It makes her feel things she’s never felt before. Then again, if Sylvie’s being honest, she’s almost positive she’s never felt anything like before. That thought both amazes her and terrifies her. Once upon a time, Sylvie had been convinced marrying Harrison was what she wanted.  

Even if she is crazy and Kelly doesn’t love her back, Sylvie won’t hide from this for a second more. She’s going to be a mom and would hate to teach her child that cowering in the face was a healthy way to live. Bravery may not a hallmark of Sylvie’s personality, the last year of her life has taught her countless lessons. Never in a million years had she thought she would leave Harrison and Fowlerton behind and settle down in Chicago. At the moment. nothing about the life she is living mirrors the one she imagined years ago. Luckily, accepting that certain things are out of her control is a healthy lesson to learn. She doesn’t want to be afraid anymore. 

In a blur, Sylvie drives herself home and treks up the two flights of stairs necessary reach their apartment. After grabbing her keys from the side pocket of her duffle bag, she maneuvers them in the lock until the front door opens. Immediately, Sylvie spots Kelly in the kitchen. Before he’s even altered to her presence by the sound of the door opening, she’s passed through the living room, thrown her bad down on the couch and walked over him. Rushing through her body, there is an urgency she can’t explain, this flow of adrenaline that is making her feel brave and prepared.

From where his back rests against the countertop, Kelly finally looks up. The serious expression on her face must be more intense than she intended because his quickly changes to one of concern.

Before she loses her nerve, Sylvie decides to get the first work in. "I want our son to have your last name. He should be a Severide.” It’s a good name. Their baby should have his father’s name.

She can hear Kelly’s breath catch in his throat. “Sylvie...“

Kelly’s last name represents the type of man he is. Sylvie doesn’t think she’s ever met anyone as dedicated as him. Through and through, Kelly is committed to helping others. He will do anything required of him to ensure the people of Chicago are safe. He is strong and caring and Sylvie wants their child to have all of those same qualities. It’s a good name. 

Wanting to comfort him and reassure him that she wants this just as much as him, Sylvie wraps her arms around his neck and strokes his skin just behind his ear. “You’re his father. He should have your name.” Kelly clears his throat and meets her stare. Sylvie's stomach drops at the realization that he likely thought this may not happen. She wants to make sure he is hearing her. “You’re a good man and I could never begin to explain how much I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, for us. Obviously, none of this was planned and we are nowhere near having everything figured out - “  

"I love you.”

Sylvie gasps. “What? You do?!” Her words came out much quicker than she planned, making her shock evident. “That’s what I was getting ready to say!” She rests one hand on her hip and points the other at him. All at once, she feels amazed and slightly annoyed.

In Kelly’s mind, there is no doubt about it. He is in love with her and it feels like the perfect time to tell her. Finding out – indirectly – she feels the same almost feels better than finally confessing his own feelings. Though she has yet to explicitly say so, Sylvie loves him back and that alone is enough for him. Without moving from where he stands, Kelly reaches for her, grabbing the material of her shirt. She looks so beautiful, her cheeks red and her eyes wide. They’re probably crazy. Nothing about their situation is conventional. Luckily, Kelly can’t bring himself to care. This feels too good to worry about what is usual. Coming home from work, Sylvie had arrived like a woman on a mission. Pulling her into him, he wastes no time kissing her. He rests his cheek against hers, the two of them existing in this intimate moment that lingers. She smells like vanilla and the firehouse. Sylvie smells like home.

Soon, his fingers tangle in her hair and he tucks strand of it behind her ear. “I’m sorry I didn’t have a speech prepared.” Kelly whispers and she practically shivers.

“Don’t make fun of me.” Kelly can feel her hand wonder up his side to rest on his chest. Sylvie smacks him there. It doesn’t hurt. “I’ve been working on that all day.” Leaving back on her heels, she clutches the collar of his shirt in her hands. 

“You’re bossy.” Kelly didn’t mind.

Suddenly, Sylvie’s nerve return. She tries to swallow them down and looks up at him hesitantly. “Are we really doing this? For real?”  

Without hesitation, Kelly nods, hoping to calm some of her anxieties. “Only under one condition.” She lifts an eyebrow in response, her curiosity piqued. “You can’t sleep down the hall anymore. We have to share a bedroom from now on.” Kelly hopes he won’t have to do much convincing.   

“I can work with that.” A huge smile, showing her teeth and all, spreads across Sylvie’s face.

In his chest, Kelly can feel his heart expand.

* * *

 

Sylvie Brett is no stranger to sex. 

But, these days, it seems to be the only thing on her mind it’s started to drive her crazy. Already, half of her pregnancy has gone by and she’s yet to experience any of those mood swings all of the pregnancy books and articles have warned her about. Still, Sylvie knows her raging hormones are to blame for this newfound desire she’s discovered. There isn’t any other possibility. In all her life, she’s never experienced anything like it, this overwhelming need to be with another person. No matter how she tries to fight it, to ignore her body’s urges, Sylvie always find herself on the losing side of that battle.

What can she say? She’s grown weak. Of course, Kelly looking the way he does doesn’t help matters much.

“Did you lock the door?” Sylvie wonders as one of her hands pulls Kelly closer. One of her fingers is hooked into the belt loops of his pants while her other hand clumsily tries to pull off his shirt.  

Her heart is racing in her chest, matching the speed at which her fingers are moving. She is desperate to touch him, to feel his bare skin. Kelly nods, answering her previous question, confirming that no one would be interrupting them. Surprising her, Sylvie doesn’t feel the least bit anxious or nervous about doing this, about having sex in one of 51’s supply closets. Sure, it won’t be romantic, but that isn’t high on her checklist at the moment. Currently, all she really wants is Kelly. She doesn’t care that they are at work and that this is beyond unprofessional. Sometimes, she feels like a stranger in her own body, wanting this at all times, no matter the circumstances. It’s grown embarrassing. Then again, there are worse things in life to crave.

In no time at all, Sylvie has Kelly’s shirt pulled over his head and dropped to their feet. As she works to remove his belt, he tries to discard his boots. They are heavy and tied tight, causing Kelly to greatly struggle with the task. Against her mouth, he laughs as they venture further into the closet. It’s not large or well-lit, but they’ll manage. Kelly’s arms wrap around her waist and wander up her back, dancing along her shoulder blades.

“You know we don’t have to do this.” As he speaks, Kelly plants kisses along her jaw and her neck.

Sylvie moves away from him, her palm flat against the front of his shoulders, keeping their bodies separate. Her eyebrows furrow, matching her confusion. “Do you _not_ want to do this?” 

Making her breath catch in her throat, Kelly smirks in a way that makes Sylvie squirm. “That’s not even close to what I said.” Sylvie can feel his hands start to move again, crawling up the length of her neck and into her hair. 

Usually, Sylvie is a rational person. She knows this is inappropriate and that they could be called away at any second, but none of that matters as Kelly’s fingers run though her hair and find themselves beneath her shirt. Her skin has been lit on fire, her body’s reaction to this man instantaneous. Kelly is her boyfriend now and she is in love with him, just as he was in love with her. They’re allowed to have scandalous sex at work, though maybe not in the technical sense. For however long this sudden, constant interest in sex lasts, Sylvie will take advantage.

Quickening Sylvie’s breath, Kelly’s follows a path along her body to dangerous territory. Soon enough, all of their clothing is discarded, and he has her back pressed against the wall. Nothing about this is comfortable or sexy, but none of that matters much. Because this is him and it is her and that is all they need. 

Once they are finished, both Sylvie and Kelly stumble around, in search of their respective clothing. If they don’t get back to work soon, people will grow suspicious. Just as Kelly finds his shirt and throws it over his head, she pulls her underwear up. He trips over his own two feet as he works to get back into his pants. It’s all so utterly ridiculous and they both laugh at the sight of themselves. Secretly, Sylvie hopes no one is standing too close to the door on the opposite side since they’ve been less than quiet.

“I could get used to this,” Kelly looks up at her, directing his gaze away from where his fingers work at fastening his belt. Knowing it is disheveled and in desperate need of a brush, Sylvie flattens her hair. “If sex in closets was something you wanted to make a thing.” Before leaning down to tie the lace of his boots, Kelly smirks.

Sylvie shrugs, working her arms through the straps of her bra.“I might just consider that.” While attempting to be nonchalant, she smiles back at him. She’s not sure who she is trying to fool though. They both know she is much more tempted by the idea than she lets on.

At the moment, she finds herself baffled by just how quickly Kelly has managed to clothe himself. Standing in front of her, he’s already fully dressed from head to toe while all she has returned to her body is her bra and panties. After he offers one last look at his pants to make sure nothing is out of place, Sylvie watches as his gaze finds a permanent spot on her belly. She’s still not very big, though there is no denying her changing shape. Stepping closer to where she stands, Kelly leans down, picks up her shirt and hands it to her. Sylvie appreciates it. These days, bending down isn’t as easy as it once was. Before reaching for the handle of the door that stands between them and the outside world, Kelly kisses her forehead. Without uttering another word, he carefully opens the door and slips out into the hallway. A few minutes later, once composes herself and is sure no one would have stuck around long enough to see them both exit the closet, Sylvie follows.

At first, she’s sure they had gotten away with it. That is until she spots Dawson walking in her direction, a knowing smile on her face. Sylvie curses under her breath, well aware this will be an interesting conversation. Gabby quickens her pace to catch up to Sylvie and uses her elbow to nudge her arm. 

“You totally just had sex.” It’s not even a question.

It is more of a statement, as though Dawson is sure of this fact, without a shadow of a doubt. Of course, she’s not wrong, but Sylvie can hardly believe it is so apparent.

Stopping dead in her tracks, Sylvie crosses her arms over her chest, all while looking up and down the hall, making sure no one is around to overhear this exchange. "I did not!” All at one, she whispers and yells, mock outrage in her voice.  

Gabby scoffs. “You’re such a liar.” 

Sylvie has never claimed to be an actress. Throwing her palms up to her face, she sighs, accepting defeat. “I feel dirty, like a horny teenager.” Sylvie can’t believe the chuckle that escapes her. 

Strangely enough, it feels nice to have a friend to tease her about her scandalous meetings with her boyfriend. Sylvie knows Gabby isn’t judging her so much as she was giving her a hard time. Dawson has worked at 51 for years. Not for a second would Sylvie believe Gabby if she claimed to having never done what her and Kelly just did.  

Though a part of Sylvie feels a bit shameful and embarrassed about all of this, never has it felt so good to be bad. 


End file.
